(Newswire.net — April 4, 2015) Walkerton, IN — Memories Pizza in Walkerton, Indiana, near the border of Michigan becomes a target of the LGBT activists after refusing to deliver pizza to a same sex marriage. The owners of the restaurant told ABC News’ South Bend, Indiana, affiliate WBND that they don’t support gay marriage because of their religious beliefs. The co-owner Crystal O’Connor said, however, that gay couples would be served at the restaurant, but “just not a wedding.”
After the restaurant refused to cater the gay marriage, LGBT activists started an avalanche of criticism towards Memories Pizza, which caused them to lose customers, and even receive death threat messages. Some messages on Twitter openly called for burning the restaurant.
After the Memories pizza case reached the media, the owners started to receive money from all over the state. Donations started pouring in after the owner of the Memories Pizza confirmed to ABC News that she has no intention to cater a gay marriage.
“I choose to be heterosexual. They choose to be homosexual. Why should I be beaten over the head because they choose their lifestyle,” O’Connor said.
According to USA Today, donations for the pizza restaurant reached $800,000. A GoFundMe page launched on Wednesday to support the restaurant had raised $226,000 as of Thursday afternoon. Lawrence Jones, a contributor to the show “Dana,” hosted by Dana Loesch on Glenn Beck’s TheBlaze, said he started the fundraising page to coincide with O’Connor’s phone interview on the show Wednesday.
“When Americans are attacked for their voice, we get behind that. We created this GoFundMe and our hope is to raise as much money,” he said.
Recently signed into law by Gov. Mike Pence, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act prohibits state and local government from burdening someone’s religious beliefs without a “compelling” interest.
Legislators today are debating a change to the law that would prevent businesses from discriminating based on sexual orientation or other factors, ABC News reported.
Allegedly, a coach from a high school about 38 miles away from the restaurant, wrote on his twitter account “Who’s going to Walkerton with me to burn down Memories Pizza.” The coach was suspended without pay pending a district investigation.
The prosecutor’s office told ABC News this morning that it was still reviewing the police report of possible harassment, intimidation, and threats.
Meanwhile, Memories Pizza keeps on receiving donations.