Watch: Gay Couple Doused with 'Holy Water' on Church Steps, Ordered to Leave

Leonardo Hernandez and his partner Tomas were sharing a hug on the steps of a church in Mexico when they were accosted by a woman who sprayed them with water and phoned for the police - all because they were gay.

NBC News reported that the incident took place outside a church in Toluca, which is situated about 50 miles from Mexico City. The news report recalled that marriage equality had been legal throughout Mexico since October of 2022.

After spraying the couple down while making the sign of the cross, the woman commanded the men to leave. She then produced a cell phone, called the police, and claimed that the men were foreigners looking to corrupt the country's youth.

"They are not from here," NBC News translated the woman's words, which she spoke in Spanish. "They come from other depraved countries to teach immorality to the youth here."

Hernandez, a resident of Mexico City, captured the incident on video and posted it to social media. In the video he replies to the woman in Spanish, "It is bad to hate, lady," NBC News translated.

@leoperovirgo Que dificil entender que alguien puede tratarte asi por el hecho de de amar libremente 💔 los buenos somos más; Gracias a las autoridades y gente de la iglesia que decidieron actuar con amor y congruencia 💖🏳️‍🌈
♬ sonido original - Leonardo Hernández

The news account added that another person tried to intervene on the couple's behalf, telling the woman, "They are not doing anything. They are just sitting here."

But the person on the woman's cell phone, whom the couple believed to be a police officer, encouraged the men to give the woman her way.

That person "can be heard through the phone telling Hernandez that he told the woman 'this is discrimination,'" NBC News recounted, but all the same the man "asked Hernandez to avoid confrontation and leave the steps."

Hernandez is polite and respectful throughout; in the video he "thanks the officer before ending the video," the report said.

The news account said that Hernandez captioned the video he posted, writing in Spanish, "It's difficult to understand that someone can treat you like this for loving freely 💔 the good are more; Thanks to the authorities and people of the church who decided to act with love and consistency."

Hernandez told NBC News that "he believes the true meaning of a religion should be about doing good, being respectful, loving your neighbor unconditionally and being able to love freely." He also took note of how many religious faiths project "hate and rejection of a group for the simple fact of loving and being who you are."