The internet has unleashed its wrath.
Crystal O'Connor.
The Christian owners of a small Indiana pizzeria who became the first to publicly state they would deny catering an LGBT couple's wedding in the wake of the state's new and controversial Religious Freedom Law, said the business was forced to close Wednesday after a wave of online criticism and threats.
Shortly after Memories Pizza owners told a local TV station Tuesday that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act would allow them to deny catering a same-sex wedding, 1-star Yelp reviews rolled in denouncing the business.
The owners of the Walkerton, Indiana, pizzeria told ABC 57 that they would not deny service to same-sex couples, or a couple belonging to another religion, but added that they would not cater a same-sex wedding if asked.
"We're not discriminating against anyone, that's just our belief and anyone has the right to believe in anything," co-owner Crystal O'Connor told the station.
Crystal's father, Kevin O'Connor, also defended the decision.
"That lifestyle is something they choose," he said. "I choose to be heterosexual. They choose to be homosexual. Why would I be beat over the head to go along with something they choose?"
In less than a day, thousands of negative reviews were posted on the restaurant's Yelp page and a fake website with the company's name was created.
Walkerton Police Department officials told BuzzFeed News that investigators were looking into several threats made against Memories Pizza, including those reported by the owners and posted on social media. At least one case has been forwarded to prosecutors.
In a written statement, she said the site's content guidelines prohibit comments and reviews that are "non-germane, media-fueled."
"Yelp reviews are required to describe a firsthand consumer experience, not what someone read in the news," the company said in a written statement. "Our support team ultimately removes reviews that violate these guidelines."
