Police close San Antonio Aquarium twice on Saturday for violating emergency declaration

San Antonio Aquarium was ordered shut twice on Saturday by the Leon Valley Police Department after officers found the business open to the public despite an emergency declaration amid the coronavirus pandemic, police said.

The aquarium had received multiple warnings from the police but still had refused to close, officials said.

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“Earlier in the week we personally advised them that they could not be open to the public, but were allowed to have no more than 9 employees present to care for and feed the animals,” Leon Valley Police Chief Joe Salvaggio said.

Police were first called to the aquarium early Saturday to find the aquatic-theme business open to the public with multiple patrons inside – violating Texas, Bexar County and Leon Valley emergency declarations.

The owner, who was not present Saturday, had ignored their warnings and refused to shut down the establishment, police say. So officers issued the aquarium a citation and ordered the manager to immediately close.

Later Saturday afternoon, Salvaggio said officers returned to find more than 15 people at the aquarium for a birthday party, as well as ten employees.

Police again cited the manager and cleared out the aquarium.

Salvaggio said that if the owner violates the ordinance one more time, police will be “forced to revoke their certificate of occupancy and chain the entrance doors.”Salvaggio also said he is seeking additional charges against the owner.

“The owner of the San Antonio Aquarium put the citizens, and now my officers in danger with his reckless actions,” Salvaggio said. “The last thing we want to do is to have to enforce laws that have been put in place for the health, safety and welfare of the public. We ask for voluntary compliance as the laws are in the best interest of the public as a whole.”

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