Wellywood sign draws mockery and protests

Protesters against the proposed Wellywood sign drove their vehicles slowly along Wellington Airport's drop-off area. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Protests continued last night against a "Wellywood" sign near the capital's airport, with a car demonstration and a growing number of websites mocking the plan.

About 80 people turned up to show their opposition to the Wellywood sign, which mimics the iconic Hollywood sign in Los Angeles.

Construction of the 30m by 8m, Wellington Airport-funded sign on Miramar hill is due to start this week.

Last night, 9690 people had joined the Support Wellywood Facebook page but but there were 16,934 members of the Wellingtonians Against the Wellywood Sign page.

About 20 cars and 80 people turned up last night with banners for a slow-moving vehicle blockade at Wellington Airport's drop-off area.

Organiser Andy Boreham said he hoped the protest would show Wellington Airport that those against the sign were not just numbers on a Facebook page. The protest was a last resort.

He said the Wellywood sign was an embarrassment and was not a true expression of the city's creativity.

"It's unoriginal and desperate," Mr Boreham said.

"Hollywood isn't something that we want to emulate - it's money-hungry, fame-hungry and plastic."

However, Wellington Airport chief executive Steve Fitzgerald said the sign would go ahead regardless.

Mr Fitzgerald said he was disappointed at how aggressive the protests had become.

"We've got this radical fringe element which are turning it into a pretty ugly debate. There's a real nasty personal element to it, where anyone who expresses a positive view on any social media are getting set upon with personal attacks."

He said the threats made on social media about destroying the sign did not worry him.

"It would be a very sad thing for someone to end up with a criminal record over a sign. I hope when they emerge from behind their computer, they will think about what they're doing."

Sir Peter Jackson, who had previously backed the sign, declined to comment last night.

Meanwhile, Blenheim brewery Moa offered 15 cases of beer to "anyone who knocks it down".

"Seeing as the sign itself is completely unoriginal it would be nice if it could be destroyed in a completely original way, so feel free to think outside the box a bit," the brewery's website said.