Aaron and Melissa Klein, who own Sweet Cakes by Melissa in Oregon, were found to have violated the state’s anti-discrimination laws when they refused to make a care for the wedding of the same sex couple,Rachel and Laurel Bowman-Cryer in 2013.
As a result they have been charged a fine of equivalent of £89,000 for distrimination.
The couple said they refused only on religious ground.
The law provides an exemption for religious organisations and schools, but does not allow private businesses to discriminate based on sexual orientation, just as they cannot legally deny service based on race, sex, age, disability or religion,’ said Charlie Burr, a spokesman for the Oreogn Bureau of Labour and Industries.
The State Labour Commisioner will review the ruling and make a final decision on the damages.
'A GoFundMe page started to help the bakery pay off the fine was shut down by the site after receiving $100,000 in donations, with administrators saying it was ‘raising money for illegal purposes’, according to the Sweet Cakes by Melissa Facebook page.
The bakery has now said that donations can be made through the Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian organisation.
Culled from metro
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