Gay men say they were kicked out of mall for kissing
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Two men said they were asked to leave a Northern California shopping mall for kissing in public.
The incident occurred Saturday at the Westfield Galleria in Roseville, when Daniel Chesmore said he and his boyfriend, Jose Guzman, shared several kisses and held hands.
“I kissed him on the cheek. That’s how my boyfriend and I show affection,” Daniel Chesmore told Fox 40.
When a security guard confronted the couple about it at the Galleria, they began recording the conversation.
“If you continue to kiss, you will be asked to leave the mall. Period,” the voice on the recording said. “I counted you guys kissing 25 times. I told you before, we contact any couple ... about this.”
Galleria General Manager Eddie Ollmann would not comment to Fox 40 but released a written statement saying: “Persons that violate the Code of Conduct are asked to leave the property.”
FOX40 found nothing in the mall’s code of conduct about public displays of affection.
“It makes me feel like no matter what I do in society, I will always be different.” Chesmore says.
Both he and his boyfriend are tutors in an elementary school in Oakland. Chesmore is a student at UC Berkeley and Guzman is a Berkeley graduate.
“I feel like we’re always treated differently because we’re gay. It makes me sad.” Guzman said.
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