*story contains two aggressive videos which some may find upsetting, skip past and straight to the bottom for the happy ending*
A gay couple in Colombia received abuse for kissing in a public park. So hundreds of people from the community gathered in that same park and staged a queer kiss-a-thon.
And our hearts are absolutely melting.
Santiago Maldonado and Jorge Esteban Farías were targeted by a group of women, one of whom was wielding a broomstick, after the two kissed in a public park, the BBC reported.
In a video shared to Twitter (below), a group of women can be heard verbally attacking the gay couple, saying “in this neighbourhood we don’t allow sex in the park, especially not in front of children”.
The young men can then be heard asking “what sex?”, saying that they had only kissed.
The woman then begin making threats, shouting, “If you don’t leave, we’ll lynch you”.
Nos vemos mañana a alas 11am en Cl 49a #69-05 bogota. Vamos a besarnos todes como forma de protesta PACÍFICA 🍕BESATÓN A LA NAPOLITANA🍕 ¡únete y comparte! Gracias 🏳️🌈 pic.twitter.com/S0ym1yHnxA
— Juan Pablo Jaramillo (@Juanjaramilloe) July 30, 2022
Me pasaron otra mirada del video del salitre y quedé aún mas asombrada con la asonada de gente violenta 🤌🏽
A falta de trinches, los palos de la escoba…
¡Que ser una persona L G B o T no nos cueste la vida!
Mañana nos vemos 🏳️🌈✊🏾🏳️⚧️ a las 11 pic.twitter.com/K9Ec2jpBID
— 🏳️⚧️ Danne Aro Belmont (@DanneBelmont) July 30, 2022
The couple reported the incident and David Alonzo, the official in charge of sexual diversity in Bogotá, who said it was being investigated. While Claudia López, Bogotá’s first gay mayor, wrote on Twitter with a defiant message promising to “fight until equality is the norm”.
Circula video (que no reproduzco para no revictimizar) de un acto homofóbico y violento en un parque. Lo rechazamos enfáticamente!
En Bogotá se puede ser!
Nuestros equipos @Bogota están en contacto con las víctimas para apoyarlas.
Lucharemos hasta que la igualdad sea costumbre. https://t.co/NpGrYOTJCu pic.twitter.com/VWHuPyX0SA— Claudia López Hernández (@ClaudiaLopez) July 30, 2022
Same-sex marriage was legalised in Colombia in 2016 and discrimination against LGBTQ+ people is prohibited in the county, but homophobic attacks and aggressions are still common in some areas.
This is one of those occasions where social media becomes BRILLIANT…
Saddened and outraged by what they were seeing online, some social media users decided to organise a peaceful but defiant protest to show solidarity to the couple and send a message that hate will not win.
On Sunday (July 31), at the same Bogotá park where the couple had been harassed and threatened, hundreds of same-sex couples gathered and staged a ‘kiss-a-thon’.
Some held signs with messages reading “Kisses are signs of affection, not a crime” and “We want to be able to kiss without being monitored”, while others waved Pride flags, danced, celebrated… and kissed.
How beautiful.
👉🏾 Por darse un beso en un parque, les pegaron con un palo a una pareja de chicos en Bogotá. La respuesta siempre será más besos, más amor. pic.twitter.com/gB9YgUqi59
— Sentiido (@Sentiido) July 31, 2022
Saquen palos, no hay miedo… besaton Bogotá pic.twitter.com/WwXFILkDKQ
— Ñañe (@AngelJBiosca) July 31, 2022
¡Gracias! pic.twitter.com/SfnVn4i1H2
— La Señora 🐺 (@misslesleywolf) July 31, 2022
Felices y agradecidxs con la comunidad en el día de ayer con el #Besaton contra la LGBTQIfobia. Hermosa tarde llena de arte y expresión.
En palabras de @juantarquino @misslesleywolf: “No será la última vez que ocurra un acto de violencia así, y para la próxima, allí estaremos”. pic.twitter.com/Yi6uOYX9Kc— Incluvision TV (@IncluvisionTV) August 1, 2022
Hoy combatimos la violencia y sus formas con arte y cultura🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️.
Pedimos justicia y acciones oportunas en cada caso de LGBTIQfobia en el país. Lucharemos hasta que no haya ni un caso más.#NoNosQuitaránLosColores 🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈
¡Gracias @misslesleywolf! pic.twitter.com/YaDUllBkuH— Luis Carlos Leal A🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ (@LuisCarlosLealA) July 31, 2022
Esto es una declaración, Ya no tenemos miedo, aunque saquen sus palos vamos a dar la cara juntos como comunidad. A celebrar el amor #besaton #BesatonEnElSalitre Besaton Bogotá pic.twitter.com/ecIjPHw6T3
— Ñañe (@AngelJBiosca) August 1, 2022