Amnesty Condemns 'anti-Gay' 'Conscience Clause'

Amnesty International has condemned what it described as an “anti-gay” bill proposed by a member of the Northern Irish legislature. Democratic Unionist Party’s (DUP) Paul Givan tabled the ‘conscience clause’ bill, which would effectively allow people with strong religious beliefs to refuse service to LGBT people.

The bill was proposed after a Northern Irish bakery run by devout Christians was told it had broken the law after refusing to print the words “support gay marriage” on a cake for a customer.

If the measure becomes law, Amnesty warned on February 27, it would undermine existing equality protections and allow for the refusal of goods or services to gay and lesbian people on the grounds of strongly-held religious beliefs.

This video shows the deputy leader of Northern Ireland’s Green Party speaking at a demonstration against the clause outside Belfast City Hall on January 31. Credit: YouTube/Green Party NI