Anti-LGBTQ wedding venue becomes first to be penalized under Grand Rapids 2019 law – MLive.com

GRAND RAPIDS, MI A Grand Rapids wedding venue that shared its anti-LGBT wedding stance on social media is the first business to be penalized for violating the citys Human Rights Ordinance.

Broadway Avenue, a new wedding venue at 1140 Broadway Ave., posted on its official Facebook page in July on the day of its opening, that the venue would like our business to remain true to our Christian faith and this includes marriage.

The City of Grand Rapids issued Broadway Avenue a civil infraction earlier this week, stating the business violated the citys Human Rights Ordinance, a local law adopted in 2019.

Among other restrictions, the ordinance generally forbids discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in access to goods and services.

The city received 12 complaints about the wedding venue, said Grand Rapids media relations manager Steve Guitar.

The city was acting on all of those complaints together, Guitar said.

Guitar also confirmed the action against Broadway Avenue is the first time the city has investigated a business for a Human Rights Ordinance violation.

One of the complainants, Chris Surfus, runs a LGBT foundation in Grand Rapids. Surfus said he wishes the city would shut down the wedding venue until it comes into compliance with the citys rules. The city has not shut the business down, but the venue does face up to a $500 fine for the civil infraction.

The business attorney previously told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press that Broadway Avenue will be fighting the infraction in court.

Were going to vigorously oppose this, Kallman said Wednesday, Oct. 5. Theyre totally unspecific here of what it is theyre claiming my client did, but the bottom line is were going to oppose any claim we committed any wrong here. Obviously, based on their First Amendment rights, that trumps any ordinance (claiming) discrimination here.

Surfus said hes ready to show up for any legal battles over the Human Rights Ordinance violation.

Go right ahead (and take it to court), Surfus said. If I get summoned to court to talk about the complaint, I have no problem walking circles around this attorney. The value of discrimination that this business has is not a value in our community and we have an ordinance that punishes those that violates public accommodations. They are fighting a very pointless, futile fight.

The potential financial amount of the fine for Broadway Avenue will be determined by a judge in court, up to $500. The business has until Oct. 17 to make its first appearance in court.

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Anti-LGBTQ wedding venue becomes first to be penalized under Grand Rapids 2019 law - MLive.com