Charges Dropped Against Gay Couple In Salt Lake City Trespass Case

The gay couple whose arrest for kissing on Mormon Church property in Salt Lake City spawned protests in several cities, have had the charges against them dropped.

The LDS Church always has desired its Main Street Plaza to be an inviting, beautiful space for all to enjoy. That's the problem. The privately owned plaza, with its wide promenade and gate-less entrance, is too inviting and appears too much like a public passageway. Consequently, Salt Lake City Prosecutor Sim Gill said Wednesday he will not prosecute a gay couple cited for trespassing after they shared a kiss on the plaza. "The two individuals believed -- albeit mistakenly -- that they had the right to be there," Gill said. "Fairness requires that either that property be not open to the public or you condition that [openness] in a way that the person who comes on understands that it is private property."

The couple has vowed to avoid the Main Street Plaza in the future. A national kiss-in to protest their arrest will continue as planned on August 15th. Visit the Facebook page for the Great Nationwide Kiss-In for a list of cities and times around the country.