US bakery which refused to bake a cake for gay couple’s wedding found guilty of discrimination
A bakery in the US state of Oregon which refused service to a gay couple for their wedding cake, has been found guilty of discrimination.
The owners of Sweet Cakes, an Oregon Bakery which last year closed its doors after refusing to provide a wedding cake to a same-sex couple, later accused gay activists of using “militant, mafia-style tactics” to force their business to shut down.
The Bureau of Labor and Industries on Friday that it had concluded its investigation, and found that the owners of Sweet Cakes had unlawfully discriminated by refusing to serve the couple.
The state of Oregon bans discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Paul Thompson, the attorney representing Rachel Cryer and Laurel Bowman, who were refused service, said the couple were as pleased as they could be with the outcome, but did note that the ruling meant his clients had been discriminated against.
Herbert Grey, the attorney acting on behalf of the Kleins said that the couple maintained that they had not discriminated, but said they had used their constitutional right to religious freedom.
He said they would go along with the process, but that they had not changed their original stance.
