Gay Couple Tell Woman Spraying Them with Holy Water Outside Mexican Church, ‘It’s Bad to Hate’ – Yahoo Entertainment
Leonardo Hernandez
A gay couple hugging in front of a church in Mexico were apparently sprayed with holy water by a woman who threatened to call authorities on them.
Leonardo Hernández shared footage of the incident in a TikTok video, which has now gone viral, garnering over 380,000 views so far.
“Get out right now! I’m going to call the police,” the woman says in Spanish in the footage, making the sign of the cross as she continued to spritz water in the couple’s direction.
The pair appeared to have been minding their own business on Wednesday afternoon while enjoying some sites in Toluca, which is roughly 50 miles west of Mexico City.
RELATED: LGBTQ Advocate Phyllis Lyon, Among the First to Have Same-Sex Marriage in Calif., Dies at 95
Leonardo Hernandez
“It is bad to hate,” Hernández can be heard telling the woman.
An observer of the scene came to the couple’s defense: “They are not doing anything,” they said. “They are just sitting here.”
RELATED: President Biden Signs Historic Same-Sex Marriage Bill: ‘Today Is a Good Day’
Leonardo Hernandez
The woman also took her phone out and said she was calling police, then began saying the church is private property, calling it “the lord’s house,” and that the couple were not welcome there.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
According to the video, Hernández got on the phone and explained that the couple were simply hugging and not doing anything inappropriate.
The person on the other line can be heard saying, “this is discrimination,” but asked that the couple leave the steps to avoid any further escalation. Hernández then thanked the person on the phone before the video ended.
RELATED: Northern Ireland Celebrates First Same-Sex Marriage: ‘Our Love Is Just the Same’
Hernández captioned his video with further thoughts on the encounter:
“Its difficult to understand that someone can treat you like this for loving freely 💔 the good ones, we’re more; Thanks to the authorities and people of the church who decided to act with love and consistency.”
Leonardo Hernandez
Speaking to NBC News, Hernandez expressed his gratitude for the encouraging comments he’s received on social media and which make him see, overall, that “we are learning to accept the great diversity that exists in this world.”
Hernandez echoed the sentiment to PEOPLE in a comment: “Thanks for the support and all the love!”
Same-sex marriage is now legal in every state of Mexico.