Chick-fil-A 'kiss in' protest off to a slow start
At the Torrance Chick-fil-A restaurant where vandals painted "Tastes like hate" on the side of the restaurant, the National Same-Sex Kiss Day was off to a slow start.
As part of the event, gay marriage advocates are encouraging same-sex couples to go to one of the chicken restaurants and take a photo or video of themselves kissing.
It remains unclear whether this protest will generate the huge crowds that turned out Wednesday to a show of support for the company's president, who ignited a national debate by publicly expressing his opposition to same-sex marriage.
At the Torrance restaurant, a steady row of cars made their way into the parking lot as diners strolled in and out of the restaurant. Some held anti-gay marriage signs that read "Jesus is the only answer." Many said they were there in support of Chick-fil-A and denounced the vandalism.
"It's a civil debate, it has nothing to do with defacing someone's property," said Alfonzo Rachel, 40, a resident of Torrance who dines at the restaurant regularly.
Cole Donahoo, operator of the Torrance restaurant, declined to comment about Friday's graffiti vandalism.
"I'm just trying to operate a business," he said.
Donahoo said he did see on a great turnout for the restaurant at 182nd Street and Hawthorne Boulevard for Wednesday's Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day national event.
Denise Spencer, who visited the restaurant on Friday, said she was sad to see the vandalism and that it hurts the tolerance message that gay marriage proponents are pushing.
"The president of the company has the right to say what he feels, just like gays and lesbians do, but when you destroy someone's property ... it only creates negativity," Spencer said.
Torrance Police detectives are continuing to investigate the vandalism.
“There are no leads at this time,” said Torrance police Sgt. Jennifer Uyeda. “There are security cameras outside the building and we’re trying to retrieve those right now.”
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-- Ruben Vives in Torrance and Rosanna Xia in Los Angeles
Photo: Workers cover up the "Tastes like hate" graffiti left on the side of a Chick-fil-A in Torrance. Credit: Sandy Mazza / Daily Breeze / Associated Press
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