Try as they might, homophobes will never be able to stop queer folks from locking lips — and Lord knows they do try.
Jorge Esteban Farias and Santiago Maldonado were sharing a kiss in a park in Bogotá, Colombia this week when things took a violent turn.
Neighboring citizens aggressively confronted them, yelling that the two were being openly sexual in front of children. One woman was even attempting to hit the couple with a broomstick throughout the confrontation.
The couple recorded the situation until men began shoving and attacking them:
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
Multiple bystanders also got video of the confrontation.
Related: After homophobe tore up his Pride decor, this Albuquerque man responded in the best way
The local queer community banded together in response and quickly organized a besatón (literally translated as a “kiss-a-thon”) protest in the same park the two boys were run out of.
Folks brought out flags, signs, and a hell of a lot of gay spirit to show the bigoted neighbors that they weren’t going to be intimidated.
Check out the demonstration in all its make-out majesty:
Hoy se llevó a cabo una besatón en el mismo lugar donde una pareja de chicos fue agredida por darse un beso. #MásBesosMásAmor Erick Morales para Sentiido. pic.twitter.com/SFEkfNT4c0
— Sentiido (@Sentiido) July 31, 2022
Las expresiones de amor, como darse un beso en espacio público no es un delito, la homofobia si es un delito‼️
A palo sacaron a 2 hombres q se besaban en el parque el Salitre d Bogotá, hoy la población LGTBIQ llenó d color arcoiris ese parque e hizo besatón. Muak tené tú beso pic.twitter.com/LJXSotaV6O
— Mayte Misas Tique ️ (@maytemisast) July 31, 2022
Hoy en el Salitre dijimos que no nos van a seguir intimidando. Vamos a seguir amando y viviendo en libertad así les incomode ️#Besaton pic.twitter.com/ZmiRhQz8Eo
— ℭ (@Camilejo03) August 1, 2022
Saquen palos, no hay miedo… besaton Bogotá pic.twitter.com/WwXFILkDKQ
— Ñañe (@AngelJBiosca) July 31, 2022
Besaton Bogotá, protesta contra la homofobia pic.twitter.com/DLIOBGqtSg
— Ñañe (@AngelJBiosca) July 31, 2022
Besaton contra la discriminación y homofobia que sufrió una pareja gay en un parque de la capital. • “se van de aquí” les decían mientras los intentaban agredir, días después el parque se les lleno de centenares de m4riks, lesbianas, trans, personas LGBTQ+, disidencias sexuales, pic.twitter.com/gTG9I935N5
— _ste_ban_ (@_ste_ban_) August 1, 2022
¡Gracias! pic.twitter.com/SfnVn4i1H2
— La Señora (@misslesleywolf) July 31, 2022
Related: Man ordered to take down rainbow lights by HOA won’t be dulling his shine any time soon
This isn’t Bogotá’s first rodeo, either; a previous besatón was held in mid-2019 in response to a homophobic attack and saw just as large an outpouring of love and support as the most recent one.
Hopefully there won’t be need for another of these demonstrations, but as long as there are bigots, there will be folks ready to stand up against them.
Check out this celebratory video of the event from La Disidencia (en español, naturalmente):