Protesters Boycotting Equinox, Soul Cycle Over Owner’s Big Trump Fundraiser
Reprinted with permission from Alternet
Stephen M. Ross, the wealthy real estate developer who chairs the company that owns the fitness brands Equinox and SoulCycle, is planning to hold a fundraiser for President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign this Friday, August 9 in his home in the Hamptons on Long Island, New York. The tickets, according to the Washington Post, will cost $100,000 each. And critics of the president, Business Insider is reporting, are responding by threatening to boycott Equinox and SoulCycle and their parent company Related Companies.
GrabYourWallet founder Shannon Coulter, after learning of the fundraiser, tweeted that Equinox and SoulCycle can be added to the list of pro-Trump companies to boycott. Coulter tweeted, “If you’d like to let SoulCycle or Equinox Fitness know how you feel about the chairman raising funds for Donald Trump’s reelection, I recommend contacting the parent company, Related Companies.”
Some Twitter users responded to Coulter by announcing that they would be joining an Equinox/SoulCycle boycott. @lizzieshore told Coulter, “Thank you for this. Considering I was about to restart my @Equinox membership, I’m glad I saw this before I did. I’ll find somewhere else to go now.” And @itsarifitz advised, “Go ahead n cancel those @equinox & @soulcycle memberships, y’all.”
This Friday the Soul Cycle and Equinox Fitness chairman is throwing a fundraising lunch for Donald Trump's 2020 presidential campaign. Tickets are $100,000 each. Adding to the list. https://t.co/pHNr8ZeG5m #GrabYourWallet
— Shannon Coulter (@shannoncoulter) August 7, 2019
Thank you for this. Considering I was about to restart my @Equinox membership I’m glad I saw this before I did. I’ll find somewhere else to go now.
— LizzieShore (@lizzieshore) August 7, 2019
Equinox’s Instagram page has been full of negative comments, one of which reads, “Is it true that the owner of Equinox is a Trump supporter? Say it ain’t so!!! I will have to quit.”
In addition to Related Companies, Ross owns the Miami Dolphins.