A number of events are to take place across Northern Ireland to mark Ashers Baking Company clearing its name in the recent ‘gay cake’ court case.
The events have been organised by The Christian Institute.
The UK’s highest court found in favour of the Newtownabbey firm, ruling that it hadn’t discriminated against a customer Gareth Lee for refusing to fulfil his order for a cake iced with the slogan ‘Support Gay Marriage’.
Mr Lee, the gay rights activist who took the case, said it had made him feel like a second-class citizen.
However, the five justices on the Supreme Court were unanimous in their judgement.
Events will take place at: The Templeton Hotel, Templepatrick – November 30, 12:30pm; The Lodge Hotel, Coleraine – November 30, 8pm; The Seagoe Hotel, Portadown – December 6, 8pm; Corick House Hotel, Clogher – December 7, 12:30pm and The Iron Hall Evangelical Church, Belfast – December 7, 8pm.
The court ruled that “nobody should be forced to express a political opinion in which he or she does not believe.”
Ashers has always argued it did not discriminate against gay people. It would have refused to make the cake for anyone.
The Supreme Court agreed.
— Matthew Thompson (@mattuthompson) October 10, 2018
I do not believe that a gay baker should be pressured, under threat of legal sanction, to decorate a cake with a message against same-sex marriage. The #Ashers “gay cake” verdict is a victory for freedom of expression: https://t.co/TDZ6SQbYu0 via @sameerahim. @IndexCensorship
— Peter Tatchell (@PeterTatchell) October 13, 2018