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Hundreds protest against US religious freedom laws
Hundreds marched in Indiana Saturday to support gay rights after a controversial religious freedom law was passed in two states, timing the demonstration to coincide with the popular Final Four college basketball tournament.
Washington: Hundreds marched in Indiana Saturday to support gay rights after a controversial religious freedom law was passed in two states, timing the demonstration to coincide with the popular Final Four college basketball tournament.
Indiana and Arkansas passed amended versions of religious freedom laws last week following a nationwide outcry that the original legislation effectively legalized discrimination against homosexuals.
Demonstrators gathered in Indianapolis to decry discrimination ahead of Saturday`s basketball game.
"Don`t discriminate! No more Band-Aids masking hate!" some chanted.
Basketball fans also showed support inside the arena, wearing rainbow flag pins, ribbons and face paint.
Others flew a protest banner over the stadium that read "Discrimination is Wrong."
The amended version of the law passed in Republican-led Indiana includes language specifically forbidding discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender.
The laws in Indiana and Arkansas initially required the state to demonstrate an important public interest before restricting the exercising of religious beliefs.
However, rights groups said the laws could have effectively enabled businesses to discriminate against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community on religious grounds.
While the states say the amended laws forbid such discrimination, they do not require schools or churches to comply.
Both Indiana and Arkansas received nationwide criticism over the legislation, with big businesses threatening to boycott their states.
Indianapolis, which regularly hosts major conventions and sporting events, was particularly concerned that a boycott could have dealt a devastating blow to its economy.
NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley had called for the Final Four to be moved because of the law.
"You can`t discriminate against people. That`s the bottom line," Barkley said on CNN.
"I would hope if (a business) didn`t want to serve a black person, people would come and stand up for me."