Rome Gets Gay Street

Rome's first "Gay Street" was unofficially inaugurated in the evening on Thursday, with several hundreds of people attending, mostly homosexuals, who then rallied in front of the Colosseum to show support for the gay couple arrested a week ago because of an immoral public kiss. 

 

The street in question, Via San Giovani in Laterno, not far from the Colosseum, was "officially" dubbed "Gay Street" by the representatives of Italy's leading gay rights organization Arcigay, whose goal is to have a place in Rome where they can assemble freely.

 

Even though a gay bar opened in the street in 2001, and several other nearby coffee shops are frequented by homosexuals, the eternal city does not have a "gay" district, such as Marais in Paris or Old Compton Street in London's Soho.

 

The two men were arrested last week for public indecency. They said that they had only kissed, but the police is accusing them of taking things much further. 

 

Thursday evening's event was supported by several ministers from Romano Prodi's centre-left government, including Equal Opportunity Minister Barbara Pollastrini, Youth and Sports Minister Giovanna Melandri, and Social Solidarity Minister Paolo Ferrero.

He told the organizers that Italy still has "a long road ahead in terms of democracy, freedom and respect," calling for a fight against any form of discrimination.