Church Hill restaurant Metzgar boots anti-abortion group

• The cancellation came an hour-and-a-half before the event was supposed to begin, according to the group, which opposes abortion and LGBTQ+ rights.

What they're saying: The Family Foundation's president, Victoria Cobb, accused Metzger of religious discrimination in a fundraising appeal distributed by the group.

The other side: Metzger, meanwhile, said in a statement they made the decision out of respect for their largely women and LGBTQ+ staff.

• "We have always refused service to anyone for making our staff uncomfortable or unsafe and this was the driving force behind our decision," the restaurant said in a statement.

Worth noting: While discrimination on the basis of sex, race, religion or nationality is illegal, businesses in Virginia are allowed to refuse service based on political beliefs.

Flashback: In September, coffee shop owner Ajay Brewer said backlash to a social media post he made supporting abortion restrictions decimated his business, forcing him to close.

• After attempting to sell the business, he's now trying to raise money online to reopen.