After receiving heavy Internet backlash and threats, the co-owner of Memories Pizza in Walkerton said the business is closed and her family is in hiding after they said they wouldn’t cater a wedding for a same-sex couple.
“I don’t know if we will re-open, or if we can, if it’s safe to re-open,” Crystal O’Connor said on TheBlaze TV on Wednesday night, April 1. “We’re in hiding basically, staying in the house.”
- RELATED: Threats, Internet furor directed at Memories Pizza after owners say they wouldn’t cater same-sex wedding, April 1, 2015
Memories Pizza received thousands of negative Facebook and Yelp comments on Wednesday after O’Connor told ABC 57 the business wouldn’t cater a same-sex wedding because she and her family are Christians, and their religion doesn’t support same-sex marriages.
O’Connor said the business wouldn’t deny service to anyone who came in to dine at the restaurant.
- RELATED: Memories of Pizza receives thousands of negative Internet comments, April 1, 2015
In addition to the comments, a fake website created to impersonate the business displayed pornography and lewd comments. A Concord High School coach was suspended pending an investigation after she was accused of threatening to burn down Memories Pizza in a tweet she posted.
On Wednesday night, a contributor to The Blaze started a GoFundMe page to raise money for O’Connor and her family. Approximately $54,643 was raised as of 8 a.m. Thursday morning. The donations totaled more than $100,000 by 11 a.m.
- RELATED: Owners of Memories Pizza in Walkerton support religious freedom law, April 1, 2015
