LYONS, Colo. (KDVR) — A Lyons restaurant raided and shut down for ignoring COVID-19 restrictions served as a gathering spot for a protest on Sunday.
Dozens of community members chanted “stop the lockdown” along the sidewalk of Lyons Den Restaurant and Tap House starting at 12 p.m.
“People are losing jobs, homes, they have to feed their families; this has to end,” protestor Jan said.
“If you want to wear a mask, fine but we have to open our businesses,” protestor Rebecca Roberts said.
The Lyons Board of Trustees voted late last Monday night to revoke the business license of Lyons Den Restaurant and Tap House and to suspend the restaurant’s liquor license.
“They have been treated unfairly by the town and the sheriff’s department for doing what they think is right,” protestor Mark Milliman said.
“They broke the law and they are angry about the repercussions for that and that’s too bad. That’s too bad for our community,” Western Stars Gallery owner Chrystal Decoster said.
Western Stars Gallery shares a parking lot with the Lyons Den. Owners of the gallery decided to close their shop during Sunday’s protest.
“My sister died of COVID, I’m very concerned about the non-compliance that has been exemplified,” Decoster said.
Days before the decision to revoke the restaurants’ license, agents from the state’s Liquor Enforcement Division raided all of the Lyons Den’s alcohol for defying public health orders.
Rick Martin, founder of Constitutional Law Group who plans to represent Lyons Den, says the seizure was a constitutional violation.
“They had no lawful authority to do what they do and they have nothing other to answer for the crime that they did,” Martin said.
There’s a town hearing scheduled for the restaurants’ liquor license on Dec. 21. Martin says they plan on filing a claim against the sheriff’s office Monday.
Colorado Department of Revenue issued the following statement to FOX31 about what happened:
“The Liquor Enforcement Division (LED) investigates all complaints and violation tips funneled to the division and continues to perform routine checks at liquor licensed establishments. The LED conducts inspections to ensure licensees are in compliance with state and local public health orders. While the division prioritizes education and outreach, businesses could face administrative actions for failure to comply with current regulations.
“After multiple warnings, the LED, in conjunction with the local authorities, issued a summary suspension, a temporary order to stop the sale of alcohol, for the liquor licensed establishment, The Lyons Den, which was in non-compliance with state and local public health orders.
“In conjunction with local authorities, the LED issued the summary suspension and seized all alcohol at The Lyons Den establishment because it had violated, continued to violate, 44-3-901(1)(h), C.R.S. The Liquor Enforcement Division has the administrative powers as the state licensing authority to take administrative actions on licensees who violate public health orders.”
Boulder County Public Health issued this warning of violation to the restaurant on Nov. 25.
The warning stated that the restaurant had violated numerous public health orders including:
- permitting dining and seating indoors while this activity is prohibited at Level Red
- failure to enforce the facial covering order
- serving food and drinks from the bar area while patrons are seated at the bar
The restaurant’s former owner created a GoFundMe for the Yarbroughs.