A pair of protesters picketed Elbow Beach Resort & Spa yesterday morning over a controversial pastor.

The demonstration came as Gary Simons, a former Cornerstone Bible Fellowship minister, held a service at the hotel in his new role at GracePoint Church.

The protesters, who asked not to be identified, stood on the sidewalk on South Road outside the entrance to the Paget resort with placards.

The two said that security at the resort had ordered them to leave the property.

But they added that they had already spoken to police and were told they were within their rights to protest, as long they did not obstruct movement in the area.

Mr Simons was the pastor at Cornerstone Bible Fellowship in Hamilton and former deputy chairman of Preserve Marriage, a campaign group formed to fight same-sex marriage, until 2017 when he resigned from both positions.

He returned to the pulpit as senior pastor at GracePoint Church at Elbow Beach last Sunday.

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