Last week, Roman police detained two gay men for kissing in public near the Colosseum. Vladimir Luxuria, a transsexual Communist member of the Italian Parliament, said this shows there is still prejudice in Italian society, since a heterosexual couple would not have been arrested under the same circumstances. However, the police claimed the couple was not arrested for kissing but for performing a sex act in public.

After several days of debate and protests, Rome's city council officially designated a two-block section of street in an area known for its gay bars, which the gay community quickly dubbed "Gay Street." Hundreds turned out for a kiss-in to both celebrate and continue protesting the arrest of the two men, who still face a possible two-year jail term. Local residents and business people were generally accepting of the demonstrators, but some called for discretion in public behavior.

The Italian government has recently proposed granting legal rights to unmarried and same-sex couples, but the Catholic Church is conducting a fierce campaign against it.

The following video is from CNN's Your World Today, broadcast on August 6.