Israel Folau has criticised New South Wales Police officers after they appeared to tell a street preacher to leave an area surrounding the Sydney Opera House.

Evangelist Mike McCarthy, 72, published a clip of himself being confronted by two police officers and multiple security guards outside the iconic Australian landmark.

He was also seen holding a sign that read: ‘Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. There is no other way to the father but by me. John 14:6.’

Police were heard urging Mr McCarthy to leave the area. They justified their instruction by claiming he was in violation of a set of bylaws.

‘[Security] have given you just a simple request to leave the sign over there. They do have bylaws here, governing this area,’ one officer said.

‘You’ve refused to comply with them and you’ve also failed to stop to speak with the security guard.

Israel Folau has criticised New South Wales Police officers after they appeared to tell a street preacher to leave an area surrounding the Sydney Opera House

Israel Folau has criticised New South Wales Police officers after they appeared to tell a street preacher to leave an area surrounding the Sydney Opera House

Local evangelist Mike McCarthy filmed the moment five security guards and two NSW police officers confronted him over his sign

Local evangelist Mike McCarthy filmed the moment five security guards and two NSW police officers confronted him over his sign

‘Now since then, they’ve asked you multiple times, and as I understand, because I have dealt with him in the past, they’ve tried to be reasonable with you.’

The video has gone viral on social media, with several outlets picking it up.

Folau, a cross-code rugby player, who began his career in the NRL with the Melbourne Storm before switching over to play rugby union, took to Instagram to comment on a clip of the incident published on the social media platform by 2GB.

The former Wallabies player wrote: ‘Holding up a sign of any other religion and or a pride message would get a pass.

‘They want to suppress everything about Jesus.

‘Shows you he is the only way, truth and life.’

The footy player is known to have deeply religious beliefs, having grown up as a Mormon and has previously held sermons at his local church.

In recent years, Folau, 36, has been looking to make a move to get back into playing first-grade rugby in Australia and for the Wallabies, following his explosive sacking in 2019.

Reacting to a clip of the incident published on 2GB's Instagram account Folau questioned the actions of the officers

Reacting to a clip of the incident published on 2GB’s Instagram account Folau questioned the actions of the officers

In the 12-minute clip, shared to his YouTube channel 'Mike with a mic' , police urged Mr McCarthy to move away from the area as he was violating a set of bylaws

In the 12-minute clip, shared to his YouTube channel ‘Mike with a mic’ , police urged Mr McCarthy to move away from the area as he was violating a set of bylaws

It came after he had published an explosive social media meme on Instagram stating ‘hell awaits’ homosexuals. Rugby Australia determined he had breached it’s player’s code of conduct.

Mr McCarthy fired back and asked the officer to explain what he has done wrong and which laws he retained violated.

‘No, you’re going to have to tell me what I’m doing wrong or I’m not going anywhere,’ he said.

‘This is Australia. The Constitution of Australia says I can preach religion anywhere within Australia.

‘That’s all I’m doing, and I’m not even doing that. I’m just walking around, looking at that.’

The officer informed Mr McCarthy he was violating the bylaws governing the Opera House’s premises.

The bylaw prohibits a person from distributing or displaying ‘by oral, visual written, electronic or other means, an advertisement, sign, bill, poster or other promotional material’.

‘I’m not interested in bylaws. I’m interested in being free,’ Mr McCarthy said.

Folau (pictured with his wife Maria) is known to have deeply religious beliefs

Folau (pictured with his wife Maria) is known to have deeply religious beliefs

‘What are you going to do, are you going to arrest me?’

In the 12-minute clip, shared to his YouTube channel ‘Mike with a mic’ , police urged Mr McCarthy to move away from the area as he was violating a set of bylaws

The officer responded: ‘I don’t want to. I’m just asking you to leave.’

Mr McCarthy replied: ‘On principle I’m not going to leave, because I’m an Australian citizen. If I can’t walk anywhere in Australia with this sign, there is a problem.’

The confrontation ended peacefully after Mr McCarthy walked away with his sign to Circular Quay.

NSW Police said no move-on direction was issued, however, Mr McCarthy told 2GB host Ben Fordham on Monday that such an order was ‘threatened’.

‘I wasn’t trying to be difficult, I was just sticking up for my rights and I believe we all should,’ he said.

The Christian preacher cited the Australian Constitution section 116 outlining the freedom of religion and stipulates that the Commonwealth is prohibited from making laws which prohibit the free exercise of religion.

Police informed the 72-year-old he was violating a bylaw which stipulates signs are prohibited from being displayed on the Opera House's premises

Police informed the 72-year-old he was violating a bylaw which stipulates signs are prohibited from being displayed on the Opera House’s premises 

Mr McCarthy believes the bylaws do not apply, as section 109 of the constitution stipulates federal law prevails when a conflict arises between federal and state government laws.

He told Fordham he was not shocked that security had called the police as it ‘happens to us frequently’.

Police informed the 72-year-old he was violating a bylaw which stipulates signs are prohibited from being displayed on the Opera House’s premises

‘I was hassled about walking on state-owned land, which I believe it is, for just carrying a sign,’ Mr McCarthy said.

‘Well, a 72-year-old guy with a sign has got to be a clear and present danger, so we got to shut him down. It’s just ridiculous.

‘I walk around with this sign everyday. We go everyday out on the street and preach the word of God. We pray with people. That’s all we do.

‘I took it on principle. I’m not just going to stop. I believe I have a right to do this. I’m not contravening any law that I can see. I’m not stirring up people, I’m not creating havoc, I have no loud speaker. I just had a sign in my hand.’

Social media users backed Mr McCarthy, with many questioning why police had stopped him but did nothing to stop a large crowd protesting against Israel’s war in Gaza ers in the same place in 2023.

Protesters, many carrying signs, gathered outside the Opera House when it was going to be lit-up in support of Israel following the Hamas attack in October.

‘This man has every right to display his sign and is covered by his and everyone’s right to religious expression and freedoms and when you impinge on his rights you are the one breaking the law,’ one wrote.

A second chimed in: ‘What happened to freedom of expression?

‘Everyone should go to the Opera House and hold a sign saying: “We have the right of freedom of expression”.’

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