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Thousands of protesters on Sunday blocked roads leading to Kochi’s Marine Drive, the venue for ‘Kiss of Love’ — a mass-kissing campaign against alleged moral policing by right-wing groups. The police later detained around 500 pro-campaign activists as they began marching to the venue.
The port city remained tense with suspected members of the Shiv Sena, Samastha Sunni Students Federation and other activist groups saying they would not let the event take place.
Around 1,000 policemen were deployed to prevent any untoward incident as those supporting the drive planned to march to the venue by 5:00pm. The campaign was launched on social media after a coffee shop in north Kerala’s Kozhikode city was vandalised recently by a group of people who criticised the public display of affection by some couples there. A day after the Kerala high court refused to intervene, the organisers said on Sunday they would go ahead with the protest, even as they were yet to get permission from the police.
Though the police had denied permission for the event, they said they would only intervene if it created a law and order problem.
Kochi 'Kiss of Love' meets wall of cops, protesters - Hindustan Times
The organizers could have arranged a "hand holding festival" instead of "kissing" but it would not have the sensational value, and media would have ignored it.
The port city remained tense with suspected members of the Shiv Sena, Samastha Sunni Students Federation and other activist groups saying they would not let the event take place.
Around 1,000 policemen were deployed to prevent any untoward incident as those supporting the drive planned to march to the venue by 5:00pm. The campaign was launched on social media after a coffee shop in north Kerala’s Kozhikode city was vandalised recently by a group of people who criticised the public display of affection by some couples there. A day after the Kerala high court refused to intervene, the organisers said on Sunday they would go ahead with the protest, even as they were yet to get permission from the police.
Though the police had denied permission for the event, they said they would only intervene if it created a law and order problem.
Kochi 'Kiss of Love' meets wall of cops, protesters - Hindustan Times
The organizers could have arranged a "hand holding festival" instead of "kissing" but it would not have the sensational value, and media would have ignored it.
