Northern Ireland Bakery Facing Legal Action For Not Support Gay Marriage
A bakery is facing legal action for refusing to produce a cake decorated with Sesame Street characters saying ‘support gay marriage’ on grounds of their religious beliefs. While gay marriage is not legal in Northern Ireland, the equality commission demands from the directors of the bakery to „remedy your illegal discrimination“.
Ashers Baking Co, based in Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland, cancelled an order for a cake with a picture of the puppets arm in arm printed onto the icing saying that it went against the directors’ religious beliefs.But the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland has now written to the firm claiming that it is breaking the law.
A letter signed by the legal office orders the firm to “remedy your illegal discrimination” within seven days or be taken to court by the commission. Gay marriage is not legal in Northern Ireland.
Colin Hart, chief executive of the Christian Institute, said: “This means millions of ordinary people who do not agree with gay marriage, face intimidation and the real threat of legal action from the forces of political correctness if they, out of conscience, decline to provide good or services to campaign groups they do not agree with or support. It establishes a dangerous precedent about the power of the state over an individual, or business to force them to go against their deeply held beliefs.”
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10952494/Bert-and-Ernie-gay-marriage-cake-leaves-Christian-bakery-facing-court-threat.html