St. Paul, Minn., Dec 8, 2016 / 12:28 pm
Owners of a video production company have filed suit against a Minnesota law they say could punish them if they decline to film a same-sex "wedding" ceremony or to state their objections in promotional materials.
"Filmmakers shouldn't be threatened with fines and jail simply for disagreeing with the government," said attorney Jeremy Tedesco, senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom, the legal group supporting them. "Every American – including creative professionals – should be free to peacefully live and work according to their faith without fear of punishment."
Carl and Angel Larsen run the St. Cloud, Minn. video production company Telescope Media Group. They said they aim to enter the wedding business but want to be clear on their website and other promotional materials that their company "cannot make films promoting any conception of marriage that contradicts its religious beliefs that marriage is between one man and one woman, including films celebrating same-sex marriages."
They said current law would compel them to produce videos "promoting a conception of marriage that directly contradicts their religious beliefs."