New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio called on residents to shun fast-food chain Chick-fil-A because of its "anti-LBGT" viewpoints.
The national corporation known for its Southern-fried chicken is gearing up to open its fourth store in the Big Apple with its new storefront located in Queens.
But de Blasio encouraged New Yorkers to boycott the restaurant because of its 2012 public backing of "the biblical definition of a family unit" and subsequent reports finding that the company donates millions to groups opposed to same-sex marriage.
"This group imparts a strong anti-LGBT message by forcing their employees and volunteers to adhere to a policy that prohibits same-sex love," de Blasio wrote in a statement, according to DNAInfo. "It is outrageous that Chick-fil-A is quietly spreading its message of hate by funding these types of organizations."
@FoxNews Only makes me want to go to Chick-Fil-A more just to spite that weakling (oh and it's also supremely delicious)
— Nasim Nabily (@NasimDaDream) May 5, 2016
During a separate press conference Tuesday, de Blasio said that while Chick-fil-A has the right to open a new story in the city, he advocated residents to stay away.
"I’m certainly not going to patronize them and I wouldn’t urge any other New Yorker to patronize them," he said. "But they do have a legal right."
Chick-fil-A hit back in a statement, DNAInfo reported, noting that it employs 80,000 people from diverse backgrounds and beliefs.
"The Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect—regardless of their beliefs, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender," a spokeswoman said.