If Manny Pacquiao wants to grab a bite at Maggiano’s or catch a movie at Pacific Theaters, he’s going to have find a different place to do it while he’s in LA. The Filipino boxer reportedly has been banned from upscaled outdoor shopping center The Grove in Los Angeles.
Pacquiao was scheduled to do an interview with Extra’s Mario Lopez at The Grove on Wednesday, but that event was canceled. A Grove spokesman told LA Weekly it was canceled because of Pacquiao’s anti-gay marriage beliefs.
“Based on news reports of statements made by Mr. Pacquiao we have made it be known that he is not welcome at The Grove and will not be interviewed here now or in the future. The Grove is a gathering place for all Angelenos and not a place for intolerance.”
Pacquiao, apparently feeling the backlash, attempted some damage control.
“I’m not against gay people,” Pacquiao wrote on his website. “I have a relative who is also gay. We can’t help it if they were born that way. What I’m critical of are actions that violate the word of God. I only gave out my opinion that same-sex marriage is against the law of God.”
So let’s get this straight: Pacquiao has nothing against gay people, he just doesn’t want them getting married. That may fly in the Philippines, but there are plenty of people in the United States who think like The Grove and don’t believe gay people should be denied those rights.
UPDATE: Mario Lopez told The Associated Press that the ban was only temporary and that he is allowed back.
H/T Off the Bench
