American Anti-Gay Hate Group To Intervene In European Cases

The anti-gay Alliance Defense Fund has been granted standing to intervene in the European Court of Human Rights on behalf of businesses and professionals that refuse service to homosexuals.

Two cases centre on the clash over gay rights and religious exemptions: Ms Ladele, a registrar in Islington, London, refused to conduct civil partnerships. Mr McFarlane, a sex counsellor from Bristol, said he could not counsel gay couples. Both sued their employers, and are appealing their cases in Europe. The European Human Rights Commission back-pedalled last week over its controversial proposals to allow exemptions for religious workers in these circumstances. Before its climbdown, the proposals were rationalised by the EHRC: “If given leave to intervene, the commission will argue that the way existing human rights and equality law has been interpreted by judges is insufficient to protect freedom of religion or belief.”

The ADF was established in 1994 as a collaborative project by several major SPLC-certified hate groups including the American Family Association and Focus On The Family. The ADF is the creator of the "Day Of Truth," which holds that Christian students have the God-given right to abuse LGBT children.