False Reporting Leads To Death Threats Against Christians

On March 31, 2015, ABC affiliate reporter Alyssa Milano reported that Memories Pizzeria in Walkerton, Indiana was the “first business to publicly deny same sex service” due to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) bill signed into effect by Indiana governor Mike Pence. The resulting firestorm of negative attention, including the business's website being hacked and homosexual pornography placed on it, thousands of people have targeted the business's Facebook and Yelp pages – leaving negative comments and causing their rating to be lowered, and even death threats and at least one threat to burn the business to the ground, all served to cause the Christian owners to close their business and go into hiding, fearing for their lives. The thing is, however, the story was untrue. There had never been an instance were same sex couples were denied service, never turned away, and, in fact, there was not one complaint against the pizzeria. In plain English, the reporter wanted a story so she made one up, and because of her malicious lie, attempts were made to destroy the business, ruin their reputation, and the very lives of the Christian owners were threatened. When it was revealed that the reporter did in fact manufacture the story, the story was edited and updated to remove the speculative and untrue statements. No apology has yet been forthcoming from the reporter for instigating the initial abuse and attacks on the Christian owners.

Sources:
TV Reporter’s Cheap ‘Gotcha’ Story Incites Hate Mob Against Indiana Pizza Shop by Robert Stacy McCain, April 1, 2015, http://theothermccain.com/2015/04/01/tv-reporters-cheap-gotcha-story-incites-hate-mob-against-indiana-pizza-shop/

RFRA: Michiana business wouldn't cater a gay wedding by Alyssa Marino, March 31, 2015, Updated April 1, 2015, http://www.abc57.com/story/28681598/rfra-first-business-to-publicly-deny-same-sex-service

Concord coach invites Twitter to 'burn down' RFRA-supporting pizzeria by Michelle Sokol, April 1, 2015, http://www.elkharttruth.com/news/schools/2015/04/01/Concord-High-School-coach-suspended-over-Tweet-about-arson.html