Hundreds of LGBT+ couples in Lima staged a ‘kissathon’ this weekend as part of a peaceful protest to demand equal rights for same-sex couples.
The event was organised by the group ‘Besos Contra la Homofobia’ or ‘Kisses Against Homophobia’.
“The streets of Peru are for all, regardless of sexual orientation. Therefore kisses, whether homosexual or heterosexual, should be seen as a normal behaviour and not as inappropriate,” said a spokesperson for the group.
Couples marched through the Peruvian capital to the Plaza San Martin where LGBT couples smooched en masse.
The annual event first took place in 2011 and attracts a heavy police presence, with many people in the mostly Catholic country staunchly opposed to the idea of same-sex marriage.
In 2016, the event turned violent with police in riot gear clashing with the crowd, turning water cannons on the activists.
Crimes committed against the LGBT+ community in Peru are not recognised because the country’s criminal code does not explicitly mention discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
