The San Antonio City Council on
Thursday narrowly blocked Chick-fil-A from opening a location at the
city's airport, citing the company's opposition to LGBT rights.
According to ABC News, councilors voted
6-4 in favor of excluding Chick-fil-A from a concession space project
at the airport.
The vote comes just days after it was
reported that Chick-fil-A donated nearly $2 million in 2017 to groups
that oppose LGBT rights.
(Related: Chick-fil-A
donated nearly $2 million to groups opposed to LGBT rights.)
In a statement released Friday,
Councilman Robert Trevino, who voted against Chick-fil-A, praised the
vote.
“With this decision, the City Council
reaffirms the work our city has done to become a champion of equality
and inclusion,” Trevino said. “San Antonio is a city full of
compassion, and we do not have room in our public facilities for a
business with a legacy of anti-LGBTQ behavior.”
“Everyone has a place here, and
everyone should feel welcome when they walk through our airport,”
he added.
In a statement given to San
Antonio ABC affiliate KSAT, Chick-fil-A said that it was
disappointed by the outcome.
“This is the first we’ve heard of
this. It’s disappointing," the company said. "We would
have liked to have had a dialogue with the city council before this
decision was made. We agree with Councilmember Treviño that everyone
is and should feel welcome at Chick-fil-A. We plan to reach out to
the city council to gain a better understanding of this decision."