By: Paul Goldberg, Staff Writer

EAST LANSING, MI – Stephen Tennes, a Michigan apple farmer who posted on his official Facebook page that he wouldn’t allow gay couples to get married at his farm, filed a lawsuit against the city of East Lansing Wednesday May 31, stating that he was shut out of an outdoor farmer’s market due to his political views.

A spokesperson for the city said “Stephen Tennes wasn’t invited back to the market because vendors must follow its civil rights ordinance, which bars discrimination.”

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Tennes alleges that the city of East Lansing violated his rights to free speech and religion.

Stephen Tennes’ farm, the ‘Country Mill Farms, LLC’,  which is 22 miles away from East Lansing in Eaton County, is well known and is a popular place for couples to arrange their wedding ceremonies.

Tennes posted his remarks back in December of 2016 where he typed out that “I believe in heterosexual marriage and reserves the right to reject weddings that conflict with his beliefs.”

Tennes’ attorney Kate Anderson said…”If the government can shut down a family farmer just because of the religious views he expresses on Facebook … then no American is free,” said Anderson.

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East Lansing released a statement on the matter saying that the Tennes’ farm is violating the city’s “long-standing ordinance that protects sexual orientation” and can’t sell fruit at the market.”

Tennes’ attorney filed the lawsuit in federal court with help from Washington-based Alliance Defending Freedom, which is known for taking cases based on religious liberty.

Anderson is hoping that a judge will order East Lansing to allow Tennes’ farm back at the market and also place an injunction against the city from extending policies to businesses outside the city.

Review Lawsuit Country Mills Farms LLC and Stephen Tennes v City of East Lansing

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