Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, is demanding an apology from gays and lesbians, the latter of whom he says once attacked him on the street.
Donohue, appearing Tuesday on
CNN's "New Day" program was asked by host Chris Cuomo if he wanted to say he was sorry to the LGBT community after Pope Francis declared the church owes an apology to the group for its combative stances over the years.
"No. As a matter of fact, I want an apology from gays. I've been assaulted by gays. I've never assaulted a gay person in my entire life!" Donohue shot back.
He said he had been attacked by a group of lesbians at a gay pride parade in New York City several years ago as he snapped a photo of one woman.
"I was taking her picture, this lovely thing. She's walking in the gay parade illegally up Fifth Avenue I took the picture and I was assaulted by her and others," Donohue said.
He also explained: "I blame the people who were at a … protest parade who watched me be assaulted by lesbians … I was attacked, I was kicked, and I've gotten much worse than that which I'm not going to get into …
"I just want the apology, I think they should send it by Fed Ex."
Donohue, who opposes the legalization of gay marriage, told Cuomo:
"I don't care what gay people do, alright? I don't want a lifestyle thrusted in my face though … Straight people do all kind of different things sexually which the church doesn't approve of."
The Catholic League is the largest Catholic civil rights organization in the United States.
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