CALIFORNIA: Target Sues Gay Group

Saying that they are annoying the customers, Target has filed suit against an LGBT group that has been gathering marriage petitions outside its San Diego locations.

Target says that the gay group’s activists regularly canvass outside eight San Diego stores and refuse to leave when asked. The retailer says it receives around a dozen complaints every day from shoppers angry at the campaigners. But Canvass For A Cause, which asks people to sign gay marriage petitions, claim Target wants to silence it because it is against gay rights. Director Tres Watson told AP: “It’s very David vs Goliath. We understand they’re the Goliath in the room. They’ve got all money in world to get us to stop talking about gay marriage.” He added that volunteers are trained to be polite and professional and that shopping centres have been recognised as public places where freedom of speech is protected.

The court case begins today.

RELATED: Despite an ongoing boycott by some gay consumers and the collapse of an exclusive deal with Lady Gaga over the company's political donations, openly gay GLAAD honoree Ricky Martin performed this week for Target executives.