A lone protester told Waratah's star Israel Folau to "take his small mind to Hell" at the Christchurch Airport following the rugby star's string of anti-gay comments.
Folau, along with his Waratah team mates, touched down in Christchurch on Friday ahead of their Saturday night clash against the Crusaders.
It's the first time the sports star has been in New Zealand since making controversial comments opposing homosexuality and same-sex marriage.
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Protesting alone, Christchurch man Gene Shaw held up his sign reading: "To Hell with your small mind Folau".
"I think there is a difference between free speech and hate speech and I think that he's exercising the latter and I think we should stand up for it," Shaw told Newshub.
"I'm not taking it away from him, he's a tremendous athlete and I think he's got a lot of people that look up to him.
"I don't think he's gone about what he's doing in the right way. I think he influences a lot of people, I think his beliefs should stay out of sport really."
Newshub.
