A number of Polish bishops have denounced a Polish branch of Ikea for "LGBT indoctrination" after an employee was fired for refusing to remove a homophobic comment he posted on the furniture giant's internal website.
"From the point of view of the law and above all of propriety and common sense, it is unacceptable to attack the Ikea employee who refused LGBT indoctrination in the workplace," the bishops said in a joined statement, according to Swedish publication The Local.
The worker in question, referred to as Tomasz K by the Polish media, was reprimanded for writing that the “acceptance and promotion of homosexuality and other deviations is a source of scandal”, referencing a passage from Old Testament.
The incident was initially sparked by Ikea management encouraging members of staff to participate in events celebrating International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia back in May. Staff were also encouraged to ask transgender customers for their preferred pronouns.
“I’ve been hired to sell furniture but I’m a Catholic and these aren’t my values,” Tomasz K, who has since filed a lawsuit against Ikea, said in an interview with local broadcaster TVP Info.
The bishops congratulated the man on defending his religious beliefs in an "exemplary" way.
However, Ikea said the employee's comments offended "the dignity of members of the LGBT community" and that they would "not to tolerate discrimination and exclusionary attitudes".
