Bakery owners in ‘gay cake’ row ‘forced to act against their beliefs’

The Christian owners of a bakery found to have discriminated in refusing to make a “gay cake” are being forced to act against their religious beliefs, a lawyer has told the Supreme Court.

A lower court ruled that the decision of family-run Ashers not to bake the product iced with the slogan, Support Gay Marriage, in 2014 was discriminatory after a legal challenge supported by Northern Ireland’s Equality Commission.

The order was placed at its Belfast shop by gay rights activist Gareth Lee. Bakery owners Daniel and Amy McArthur have said the law risked “extinguishing” their consciences.

David Scoffield QC, for Ashers, said: “This is a case of forced or compelled speech, unlike other cases which have come before the court.”

He added: “Mr and Mrs McArthur have been penalised by the state in the form of the judgment at the County Court for failing through their family company to create and provide a product bearing an explicit slogan ‘Support Gay Marriage’ to which they have a genuine objection in conscience.”

The UK’s highest court, sitting in Belfast, heard the case on Tuesday.

Beforehand Mr McArthur, general manager of Ashers, said: “The Equality Commission has pushed for an interpretation of the law which extinguishes our conscience.

“They think that some people are more equal than others.”

Mr McArthur said he should enjoy a basic right to live by his beliefs.

Daniel Mcarthur and his wife Amy at court in Belfast.

Gay rights activist Gareth Lee arrives for the hearing.