A gay couple claims they were unfairly tossed from a Roseville, Calif., shopping mall for innocent displays of affection.
The two men — Daniel Chesmore, 21, and Jose Guzman, 24 — admit they were warned to stop kissing in public or else face being asked to leave.
During an interview with KTXL (FOX40), a Sacramento-area Fox TV affiliate, the two men held hands and kissed while explaining their altercation with a security guard at the Westfield Galleria Mall.
“This is exactly what we did at the mall,” Mr. Guzman said of the kissing.
“That’s how my boyfriend and I show affection,” Mr. Chesmore said.
They recounted how they were doing the same on Saturday when a mall security guard approached.
They began recording the guard, who told them “if you continue to kiss, you will be asked to leave the mall. Period. I counted you guys kissing 25 times. I told you before, we contact any couple … about this.”
In an undercover investigation, the FOX affiliate witnessed dozens of straight couples sitting inside of the mall and openly kissing, though none of them were asked to leave the mall.
The men, who said they rarely kiss in public on the lips out of consideration of children, called the incident unfair.
“I feel like we’re always treated differently because we’re gay,” Mr. Guzman said. “It makes me sad.”
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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