Gay protesters smooched in public Friday to demonstrate against Greek TV regulators who fined a station US$116,000 for broadcasting a scene of two men kissing.

Lesbians kiss during a protest in central Athens on Friday, Nov. 14, 2003. About 30 gays, lesbians and transsexuals to demonstrate against Greek TV regulators who fined a station US$116,000 for broadcasting a scene of two men kissing. [AP Photo]

Greece's Mega television was punished by the National Radio and Television Council for an Oct. 6 episode of the weekly drama "Close Your Eyes," stirring debate over an issue rarely discussed in public

"They want to tell us who we can kiss and what time kissing is appropriate," Grigoris Valianatos, a gay activist, said moments before embracing a fellow protester. "We believe a kiss is an act of love, tenderness and courage."

The television council described the kissing scene as "vulgar and unacceptable."

The ruling drew strong criticism from commentators who pointed to frequent nudity on Greek television and the repeated broadcast of clips showing Madonna kissing singer Britney Spears during the MTV Video Music Awards in August.

About 30 gays, lesbians and transsexuals gathered for the protest in central Athens. They kissed in front of dozens of reporters, photographers and cameramen in an event timed to coincide with evening news shows.

Homosexuals in Greece complain of discrimination by employers, and displays of affection by same-sex couples are widely frowned upon. The country's predominant Orthodox Church also strongly opposes gay marriage.

"We think the (TV regulators) should resign," Valianatos said. "We'd like to think of Greece as a tolerant country."

Commentators called the fine hypocritical.

"It's far more vulgar to repeatedly show the effeminate gay stereotype, of the shrill-voiced and foppish man, on 'family oriented' programs," television critic Marianna Tziantzi wrote in the Athens daily Kathimerini.

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