A gay couple has been arrested and fined in La Paz, Mexico for sharing a kiss on a street corner.
The citing offense?
Jorge, 24, and Alan, 26, were accused of “disturbing the peace.”
As the couple tells it, they were lip locked at around 10 p.m. when an officer approached them, called them by a homophobic slur and told them they had to come with him to the police station.
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When they refused, he forcibly put them in a police van and drove them to the unit, where they each had to pay a fine of 300 pesos each upon release.
“We were terrified. The officers who arrested us were homophobic, corrupt liars. We never bothered the public order,” one of the men said.
A local LGBTI group has organized a kiss protest on 17 May — the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia in response to the unjust (not to mention very illegal) treatment the couple endured.
h/t: Gay Star News
Billy Budd
If I were a bilionnaire like David Geffen, I would invest a few million dollars putting a 30 second video on TV, in many coutries and many channels at the same time, during prime time TV, showing two very handsome young men kissing tenderly. I mean tongue kissing.
You have to force people to confront their fears.
Stache99
Well, in fairness they were Mexican police officers afterall. When their not shaking people down or accepting bribes their harassing people like this.
Everyone already knows that the only qualification you need is some affiliation with your local drug cartel.
money718
@Stache99: Exactly. They are lucky they are still breathing.
petensfo
Anyone that has spent any time in Mexico knows that the parks are absolutely filled with young lovers who cannot be together in their homes. Most young people, straight or gay, in MX still live with their families.
This is just homophobia. Overall, Mexico is actually more open and welcoming than most would imagine.
Malkovich0479
@Stache99:@Stache99: That’s a very stereotypical thing to say. And stereotypical comments come usually from narrow minded-dorks. To put every single Mexican police officer in one box not only shows your lazy mind, but also your lack of respect.
Raquel Santiago
300 Pesos averages out to about $23.00 (rounded up), the exact amount is $22.986$. So they are damn lucky it wasnt worse,
Stache99
@Malkovich0479: Pluleaze. I didn’t say all but everyone knows there’s truth in that.
It’s happened to me. Somehow they found empty beer bottles on the floor and unless I gave up everything I had I’d be taken away to jail. I complained to the US border and they told me that this happens routinely and there was nothing I could do. That was the last time I drove in Mexico.
vive
Mexico is welcoming, if you go to DF, Guadalajara or Puerto Vallarta. But in a lot of other places you have to be careful, just as you have to be in a lot of places in the U.S.
Badabang
Mexico is welcoming… Many police officers are as*holes that will accuse you of any minor crime for a bribe… I would say this is not entirely homophobia-related, this is corruption -related… I live in Mexico and I can assure this…
Mezaien
I have no idea about Mexico? but I love Mexican, men M` m m m m.
Harley
@Raquel Santiago: Except that 200 pesos a week is minimum wage in Mexico so that’s 15 days of labor. Pretty steep fine for a young kid in Mexico.
Zakaroo
@Badabang: I also LOVE Mexico and even have a timeshare in Puerta Vallarta. However, once, while driving a rent car in Mexico City, at an intersection the police were directing traffic. It was a no left turn intersection, but the police pointed at me and waved me through a left turn where a group of police stopped me and demanded that I pay a “fine” for in illegal left turn. So much for treating your tourists fairly. I paid and went on my way.
theowlmike
Ah La Paz, Mexico. One more homophobic place and country not to visit and to actively boycott!