Humanists UK response to Ashers Bakery judgement

Responding to the Ashers Bakery judgement Humanists UK Chief Executive Andrew Copson said:

'This is a sad blow for free speech, that puts the supposed "rights" of a commercial business above the rights of an individual human being, which we continue to believe should be the only bearer of human rights.

'Ashers, which has a chain of outlets, did not try to accommodate the customer's order by having it fulfilled by an employee who has no personal conscientious objection to the message. It just simply refused. That it was able to do so opens up a slippery slope towards it becoming difficult to have such messages printed.

'It is also being celebrated – and will be seen – as a political victory for evangelical campaigning groups against the rights of gay people around the world from the UK to Australia to the US, in all of which countries their vicious campaigns are being waged.'