PageOneQ.com – by David Edwards and Muriel Kane
CNN reported on Monday that “a recent moment of passion” in Rome has led to a cultural clash.
Last week, Roman police detained two gay men for kissing in public near the Colosseum. Vladimir Luxuria, a transsexual Communist member of the Italian Parliament, said this shows there is still prejudice in Italian society, since a heterosexual couple would not have been arrested under the same circumstances. However, the police claimed the couple was not arrested for kissing but for performing a sex act in public.
After several days of debate and protests, Rome’s city council officially designated a two-block section of street in an area known for its gay bars, which the gay community quickly dubbed “Gay Street.” Hundreds turned out for a kiss-in to both celebrate and continue protesting the arrest of the two men, who still face a possible two-year jail term. Local residents and business people were generally accepting of the demonstrators, but some called for discretion in public behavior.