A group of Christian protesters were seen praying and genuflecting opposite the Tony Abbott and George Pell same-sex marriage mural before it was defaced.
At least twelve people conducted what looks to be a religious ceremony, complete with rosary beads and a thurible spilling incense, right outside the Newtown pub on Thursday.
They were mostly dressed in sportswear and bowed their heads in unison as one man led the group in prayer.
A group of Christian protesters were seen praying and genuflecting opposite the Tony Abbott and George Pell same-sex marriage mural
They were mostly dressed in sportswear and bowed their heads in unison as one man led the group in prayer
At least twelve people conducted what looks to be a religious ceremony, complete with rosary beads and a thurible spilling incense, right outside the Newtown pub
The small circle of followers was mostly made up of men but a select few women joined in during the spontaneous ceremony.
Sydney street artist Scott Marsh painted the mural ‘The Happy Ending’ on the side of the Botany View Hotel in Newtown in celebration of same sex marriage.
It’s not known why these Christian protesters paused in prayer beside the mural, or whether they had a hand in painting over it.
While people were inside the venue celebrating the victory of the ‘Yes’ vote in favour of same-sex marriage on Thursday, a group of men outside painted over it.
The small circle of followers was mostly made up of men but a select few women joined in during the spontaneous ceremony
Iconic street artist Scott Marsh painted ‘The Happy Ending’ on the wall of Botany View Hotel
A group of ‘threatening religious dudes’ painted over the popular mural on Thursday night
‘They have threatened staff and patrons, these staunch religious eshays are here to cover up a ‘hateful’ painting while spreading hate and fear in the process. Try and get that logic,’ wrote Bryan Butterfield, who filmed the incident.
Butterfield is a promoter for the popular Newtown hotel, and explained to Channel Ten that the men had come into the venue and threatened staff and patrons before going around the corner and taking a roller and black paint to the mural.
During a filmed confrontation with local resident, the men aggressively defend their ‘right’ to ruin Marsh’s work.
‘Why are you painting over it?’ the woman asks, to which the man answers, ‘Because it’s offensive to the general public. It’s pornography mate.’
The woman asks off camera, ‘You know that it’s in Newtown, right?’ to which one of the man replies: ‘Ah yeah, OK, it’s still part of Australia….The vote was for gay marriage, not for this painting.’
A ‘religious dude’ took a long-handed roller and buckets of black paint to destroy the mural
Three men ruined Scott Marsh’s mural in Newtown, branding it ‘offensive’ and ‘pornography’
She asks the men why they need to come all the way to Newtown to see the mural if it is offensive to them.
‘Do you live across the road?’ a woman asks one of the men, who is wearing a large blue and white striped shirt and reflective sneakers.
‘It’s Australia, I’m free to do what I want and if I do want to come here, I don’t want to see this,’ the man replies.
‘So don’t look at it!’ the woman suggests. Hotel patrons and locals flocked to express their disappointment but did not attempt to stop the men.
The mural was first defaced at about 6pm on Thursday night with a few buckets of white paint
Mr Marsh first painted Tony Abbott in September, after he urged all Australians to ‘Vote No’
Iconic Newtown artist Scott Marsh also painted ‘Tony Loves Tony’ (left) and St George (right)