Indiana business owner confirms plans to refuse service to LGBT community

An Indiana business owner has become one of the first to publicly confirm that he will use the ‘Religious Free Restoration Act’ to refuse service to gay people.

Signed by Gov. Mike Pence, the controversial legislation is expected to come into effect from July and will allow businesses to discriminate based on religious grounds.

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Identifying himself only as ‘Ryan’, the man spoke on RadioNOW 100.9’s morning show to confirm that he had already lied to gay customers by telling them that the fan in his kitchen had broken.

“I’m 100% behind people’s lifestyles, and what they want to do, but I don’t want them to bring that into my place of business, and make other people that are there feel uncomfortable,” he said. “I grew up Christian, and I believe in man and woman, Adam and Even not Adam and Steve.

“If a couple comes into my [restaurant] and makes other people leave my place of business, then I’m losing more money from the people leaving than coming in.”

He went on to suggest that more businesses agree with the move, but declined to identify his own business when asked to.

“I don’t want to say what business I own…” he said. “I don’t think I’m ready to come of the closet with that.”

Hillary Clinton has said that she is saddened by the move, writing on Twitter: “We shouldn’t discriminate against ppl bc of who they love (sic).”

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