- Title: SPAIN: Gay kiss protest in Barcelona
- Date: 8th November 2010
- Summary: BARCELONA, SPAIN (NOVEMBER 07, 2010) (REUTERS) PAN DOWN: BARCELONA'S ARCHBISHOPRIC/PEOPLE AWAITING VARIOUS OF GAY COUPLES KISSING AS POPEMOBILE PASSES BY (6 SHOTS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) GAY PROTESTER DANIEL FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM, SAYING: "Well I think to show to the Pope that gay people, and people in general round the world who are like oppressed are not going to stand up for the oppression." VARIOUS GAY COUPLES KISSING (2 SHOTS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA RESIDENT AND GAY PROTESTER XAVIER, SAYING: "We are paying with public funds a visit of a head of state from another country who comes here to discriminate against us and promoting a policy of discrimination against gay people." GAY PROTESTERS CLAPPING AND WAVING FLAGS GROUP OF YOUNG CHRISTIANS WALKING AND SHOUTING: 'BENEDICT, BENEDICT' GROUP OF CHRISTIAN YOUTHS SHOUTING AT GAY PROTESTERS: "GOD LOVES YOU TOO" YOUTHS SHOUTING: "AND THEN YOU WILL SAY THAT WE ARE ONLY ONE OR TWO." TWO GAY MEN SHOUTING: "PEDOPHILES" (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COLOMBIAN RESIDENT IN BARCELONA, JOHN, SAYING: "I don't think it is right to do this. We don't agree with them, my God is alive and it is him who protect them. I don't agree with this." VARIOUS OF MAN YELLING AT POLICE: "SEXUAL FREEDOM" POLICE WALKING AWAY SURROUNDED BY PROTESTERS PROTESTERS WITH SIGNS READING "I AM NOT WAITING FOR YOU" JUMPING UP AND DOWN
- Embargoed: 22nd November 2010 21:04
- Keywords:
- Location: Spain
- Country: Spain
- Topics: International Relations,Religion
- Reuters ID: LVA9YB8G2DRA2XI7TRIMP241NC5S
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: Dozens of of gay protesters staged a kiss mob in Barcelona as Pope Benedict's vehicle passed by on Sunday (November 7).
Several gay couples kissed as Pope Benedict left Barcelona's archbishopric in his Popemobile en route to the Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) temple which he was to consecrate during an open-air mass.
Daniel from the United Kingdom explained why it was important for him to take part in this protest.
"Well I think to show to the Pope that gay people, and people in general round the world who are like oppressed are not going to stand up for the oppression," he said.
Xavier, a gay protesters who lives in Barcelona said that the Pope promotes discrimination against gay people.
"We are paying with public funds a visit of a head of state from another country who comes here to discriminate against us and promoting a policy of discrimination against gay people," he said after taking part in the protest.
Angry Catholic youths who had gathered at the same site to wave to Pope Benedict shouted "God loves you too" at the protesters and expressed disagreement with the protest.
"I don't think it is right to do this. We don't agree with them, my God is alive and it is him who protect them. I don't agree with this," said John, a Colombian who lives in Barcelona.
Gay rights activists had organized the flash-mob protest over the internet calling same-sex couples to gather and kiss for two minutes.
Spain in 2005 became the third country in the world to legalize gay marriage. The law, promoted by Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero despite fierce opposition from the church, allows married gay couples to adopt children, something which is anathema to the Vatican. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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