Hundreds Come Together for Kiss-A-Thon to Support Gay Couple in Colombia

Hundreds came together for a staged kiss-a-thon in Bogota on Sunday to show support for a same-sex couple that had been the victims of a recent homophobic attack.

The couple was confronted by a group of women, one of who was waving a broomstick. The victims, two young gay men, were forced out of a local park by the group – who were all locals – with the incident being recorded on video and later shared on social media sparking outrage. One of the perpetrators could be heard yelling "If you don't leave, we'll lynch you", and the couple were told to keep sex out of the park – to which they reply they were only kissing.

The attack has since been condemned by Bogotá's first gay mayor, Claudia López, who wrote on Twitter that she was “in contact with the victims to support them,” and that she will continue to “Fight until equality is customary.” Although same-sex was legalized in 2016, attacks such as this remain common across Colombia.

The kiss-a-thon involved hundreds gathering together, with signs including "Kisses are signs of affection, not a crime", rainbow flags flying, music and a celebration of LGBTQ+ identities.