Tim Hortons Holds The Coffee After Anger Over Anti-Gay Event

Winnipeg Free Press:

After an online outcry, Tim Hortons is distancing itself from an upcoming Rhode Island event designed to “take a stand” against same-sex marriage.

Brochures for Sunday’s Celebrate Marriage and Family Day in Warwick, R.I., list the popular chain as one of its sponsors.

On Monday, Tim Hortons posted a statement on its website saying it would no longer provide coffee for the celebration as it runs afoul of its guidelines to not support “religious groups, political affiliates or lobby groups.”

“Tim Hortons and its store owners have always welcomed all families and communities to its restaurants and will continue to do so,” the statement said. “We apologize for any misunderstanding or inconvenience this may have caused.”

The Aug. 16 event is being put on by the National Organization for Marriage, a U.S. non-profit founded in 2007 “in response to the growing need for an organized opposition to same-sex marriage.”

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