Ashers case day 3: Equality Commission quizzed by judges
May 12, 2016
On the third day of the Ashers Baking Company appeal, the three judges grilled lawyers for the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI) on several aspects of the case.
One of the judges pointed out that Mr Lee had bought cakes from Ashers before he placed an order for a pro same-sex marriage campaign cake.
Lord Justice Weir reiterated the view that the issue was with the message on the cake, not the customer.
But the ECNI’s QC Robin Allen suggested that refusal to promote same-sex marriage is itself discrimination against gay people.
C4M finds this view extremely worrying. If opposition to same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland is considered sexual orientation discrimination, many tens of thousands of people and, indeed, politicians would be at risk of repercussions for expressing their views.
The court resumes again this morning for the final day of proceedings.
Let’s hope the judges rule favourably for the McArthurs, and for all those who support marriage.
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“I support defining marriage as the voluntary union for life of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.”