Two men have been charged after Greymouth's pink church had homophobic and antisemitic graffiti spray-painted on both sides of the building. A burnt rainbow flag was also found staked on the front lawn of the church.

It comes as a weekend of pride celebrations were held at the church turned art project.

New Zealand Police say the church was vandalized in the early hours of Thursday morning. "A 20-year-old man and a 21-year-old man have been charged with intentional damage and are due to appear in Greymouth District Court tomorrow," police said. "Inquiries into the matter remain ongoing."

Gloria of Greymouth came into being in 2018 when artist Sam Duckor-Jones bought the de-consecrated Anglican church. In April 2022, he told Re: "It’s a glowing house of queer worship, where gays across the nation can come and bask in the spirit of campness and glitter and be silly.

"It’s also an immersive sculpture, so you come in and you’re in a piece of art."

The artist lives inside the old church as well as using it to host events for the rainbow community.