Memories Pizza, the Indiana establishment that sparked national outrage over its owner's anti-LGBT comments, has raised a whopping $842,387 in donations from supporters.
After Indiana's contentious Religious Freedom Restoration Act was signed, the Walkerton, Indiana, restaurant became the subject of harsh criticism after co-owner Crystal O'Connor said Wednesday during a local news broadcast that she would refuse to cater gay weddings.
"If a gay couple came in and wanted us to provide pizzas for their wedding, we would have to say no," she told a local ABC affiliate. "We are a Christian establishment."
Following the backlash over the remarks, supporters of Memories started a GoFundMe campaign, and the owners of the pizzeria were flooded with donations from more than 29,000 people.
Days after the campaign was launched, the money continues to come in hard and fast, raising another $300,000 in just the last 24 hours.
The movement was started by Blaze TV contributor Lawrence Jones, who initially launched the campaign seeking $25,000 after appearing Wednesday on the network's Dana Loesch talk show.
"Producers Rachel, Allison and George discussed the situation with Dana, myself and head writer Ben Howe. We all agreed: this family needs help to get through this assault," Jones wrote in an update explaining his move to start the campaign. "The intent was to help the family stave off the burdensome cost of having the media parked out front, activists tearing them down, and no customers coming in. Our goal was simply to help take one thing off this family's plate as the strangers sought to destroy them."
