Rival internet provocateurs Sean Plunket and Cameron Slater are engaged in an online war of words over Plunket's recent derogatory comments around people with Down syndrome.
The controversial The Platform broadcaster apologised on Wednesday for comments he previously made in response to a SailGP race through a marine sanctuary being delayed due to a dolphin sighting.
Plunket stated Māui dolphins were "like the Down syndrome kids of marine mammals. They're cross-bred and they deserve to die."
In response, Slater - the former the Whale Oil blogger best known as a key player in New Zealand's 'Dirty Politics' era - called Plunket a "pig" in a tweet.
Plunket hit back with several replies including saying Slater's parents were first cousins and referring to him as "dolphin boy".
Slater responded: "So, let's this straight. You compare Māui dolphins to Down syndrome kids, say they should be killed, cop negative pushback, then you issue an apology that you prefaced with an attack on me and others, essentially saying you are only sorry you got busted... then after you do the apology you come back here and call me 'dolphin boy' clearly implying I'm Down syndrome too... yeah, you aren't sorry at all."
In his video apology about his Down syndrome comments, Plunket lashed out at the "pile on" and "trolling" he had subsequently received, as well as regretting his "dumb" statements.
"I made comparisons with these dolphins - due to their strange genetic make-up - to a group of vulnerable New Zealanders. That may have been taken in the humorous way I intended it and actually, looking back - I'm going to be honest - it wasn't that funny," Plunket said.
"It was a dumb thing to do and it was insensitive."
