The vicar of St Matthew in the City says he will not press charges against the group responsible for tearing down a controversial billboard at the Auckland church.
The poster, which showed a concerned looking Mary holding a positive pregnancy test, was ripped in half by a Whangarei man leading a group of around 100 Catholics protesting against the image.
Arthur Skinner led the Catholic Action Group protest and freely admits he is guilty of vandalising the billboard.
"Even people who aren't Catholics know instinctively you don't attack the Blessed Virgin who gave us the saviour of the world," said Skinner.
"To see this at this time is an absolute abomination," Skinner told ONE News yesterday.
Vicar Glynn Cardy said the billboard was not designed to upset people but aimed to communicate a message and get people talking.
"It's really asking people to remember, coming into Christmas, that this was a woman of tremendous courage and faith, that she was not some plasticised icon, somebody who doesn't have human feelings," Cardy said.
Previous controversial billboards put up by St Matthew in the City have also been vandalised as a result.
Cardy said they probably won't bother replacing the latest controversial sign.