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| Gay cake appeal: Christian bakers Ashers lose legal challenge as court upholds discrimination ruling | Gay cake appeal: Christian bakers Ashers lose legal challenge as court upholds discrimination ruling |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Christian bakers found to have discriminated against a gay man by refusing to ice a "gay cake" have lost their appeal against the ruling. | The Christian bakers found to have discriminated against a gay man by refusing to ice a "gay cake" have lost their appeal against the ruling. |
| The owners of Belfast-based Ashers refused an order placed by gay activist Gareth Lee, claiming the message was inconsistent with their "sincerely held" religious beliefs. | |
| They were found to have breached equality legislation following a high-profile court case in Belfast last year. | They were found to have breached equality legislation following a high-profile court case in Belfast last year. |
| Mr Lee, a member of the LGBT advocacy group Queer Space, had wanted a cake featuring Sesame Street puppets Bert and Ernie with the phrase "Support Gay Marriage" for a private function marking International Day Against Homophobia. | Mr Lee, a member of the LGBT advocacy group Queer Space, had wanted a cake featuring Sesame Street puppets Bert and Ernie with the phrase "Support Gay Marriage" for a private function marking International Day Against Homophobia. |
| He paid the full £36.50 to Ashers' Belfast city centre branch for the cake, but was telephoned two days later and told the company could not fulfil his order. | |
| Through the legal proceedings, Daniel McArthur, the company's general manager, insisted Mr Lee's sexuality was never an issue, rather the message he wanted the bakery to create. | Through the legal proceedings, Daniel McArthur, the company's general manager, insisted Mr Lee's sexuality was never an issue, rather the message he wanted the bakery to create. |
| Mr Lee claimed the episode left him feeling like a lesser person. | Mr Lee claimed the episode left him feeling like a lesser person. |
| In the original case, District Judge Isobel Brownlie ruled that religious beliefs could not dictate the law and ordered the firm to pay damages of £500. | In the original case, District Judge Isobel Brownlie ruled that religious beliefs could not dictate the law and ordered the firm to pay damages of £500. |
| Delivering the appeal judgment, Northern Ireland's Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan said Ashers had directly discriminated. | Delivering the appeal judgment, Northern Ireland's Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan said Ashers had directly discriminated. |
| He rejected the argument that the bakery would be endorsing the slogan by baking the cake. | He rejected the argument that the bakery would be endorsing the slogan by baking the cake. |
| "The fact that a baker provides a cake for a particular team or portrays witches on a Halloween cake does not indicate any support for either," he said. | "The fact that a baker provides a cake for a particular team or portrays witches on a Halloween cake does not indicate any support for either," he said. |
| Ashers, a name with Biblical connotations, has six branches, employs more than 80 people and delivers across the UK and Ireland. | Ashers, a name with Biblical connotations, has six branches, employs more than 80 people and delivers across the UK and Ireland. |
| Throughout the legal battle they have been supported by The Christian Institute, which has organised public rallies and garnered financial backing for the case. | Throughout the legal battle they have been supported by The Christian Institute, which has organised public rallies and garnered financial backing for the case. |