OVER HALF A MILLION PLEDGE TO SUPPORT ANTI-GAY FOOD CHAIN

Almost 600,000 Americans have pledged to support the homophobic Chick-fil-A food chain by eating at their outlets on Wednesday.

The Atlanta-based fast food company, with 1,615 branches across the US, is run by the conservative Cathy family, with the stated aim “to glorify God”.

The company has donated funds to a number of anti-gay groups and its President Dan T. Cathy unleashed a torrent of controversy when he recently publicly denounced same-sex marriage.

Amidst calls to boycott the chain, and the Muppets severing ties with the company, American conservatives have urged their supporters to back the fast food chain.

Former Arkansas Governor and presidential contender Mike Huckabee created a Facebook event page calling for people to eat at Chick-fil-A outlets on Wednesday, which he dubbed ‘Chick Fil-A Appreciation Day’.

“I have been incensed at the vitriolic assaults on the Chick Fil-A company because the CEO, Dan Cathy, made comments recently in which he affirmed his view that the Biblical view of marriage should be upheld,” said Huckabee on the page.

“The goal is simple. Let’s affirm a business that operates on Christian principles and whose executives are willing to take a stand for the Godly values we espouse by simply showing up and eating at Chick-Fil-A on Wednesday, August 1,” added Huckabee.

At the time of writing, a massive 592,734 people had indicated on the page that they would take part.

Following the controversy around its CEO’s statement, the company said that “going forward, our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena”.