Belfast bakery refuses to bake cake with gay marriage slogan
By Josh Haggis
A Christian-run bakery in Belfast could face legal action after refusing to bake a cake iced with a pro-gay marriage slogan.
Ashers Baking Company declined to bake the cake requested by a gay rights supporter, who wanted the sponge to be topped with a picture of Sesame Street characters Bert and Ernie, alongside a slogan supporting marriage equality.
The customer also asked for the cake to feature the logo of Northern Ireland-based gay rights group Queerspace.
The baking company could now face legal action after being sent a letter by the Equality Commission, reports the Belfast Telegraph.
“The directors and myself looked at it and considered it and thought that this order was at odds with our beliefs,” said the company’s manager, Daniel McArthur. “It certainly was at odds with what the Bible teaches, and on the following Monday we rang the customer to let him know that we couldn’t take his order.”
He added: “In the past, we’ve declined several orders which have contained pornographic images and offensive, foul language.”
Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK yet to legalise same-sex marriages.
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