Further reports are emerging of disturbing, aggressive and abusive behaviour from fundamentalist Christian protesters at the Big Gay Out festival in Auckland yesterday. A group of five youths who circulated amongst the crowd threatening some festival-goers with a “bash” were eventually escorted off the premises by police late afternoon after their abusive epithets escalated to yelling “fucking faggots” at festival-goers. One of the police officers photographed the group as they were led to the gate, prompting one of them to ask why. The officer replied that it was to identify them if they were to return and cause more trouble. The group did not leave, however, and were later seen with fellow protester Justin Pearce and his wife walking up the road and plastering festival-goers' cars with A3 posters of mis-spelt Bible quotes, and phrases like “God made Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve” and “turn away from your sin and perversion”. Observer Pete Saxton followed the group up the road, pulling the posters off cars as the protesters distributed them. Frustrated that their work was being undone, they turned around to confront him and started asking explicit questions: “Are you a homosexual?”; “Do you have anal sex?”; “Do you lick arseholes?”; “Do you know what the anus is for?”; “Do you know you're going to get AIDS?” Saxton was soon joined by a passing lesbian couple, and the exchange became heated. The protesters said they were entitled to freedom of expression, and started hurling insults like “perverts” before eventually dispersing.
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Monday, 14th February 2005 - 12:00pm