Kochi: Activists of the ‘Kiss of Love’ campaign who are planning a protest on November 2 against the vandalism of moral police, were in for a bit of trouble when a group confronted them at Marine Drive here, on Wednesday. Rahul Pasuplan and his colleagues, spearheading the campaign on Facebook, were heckled before the police intervened and dispersed the group.

Mr Pasupalan said he, along with his friends, were talking to a few television channels when the incident happened. “We were abused and threatened…without any provocation in front of the TV channels. We were told that some known anti-social elements were behind the incident”, he said.  Mr Pasupalan also denied suggestions that the fracas was stage-managed to benefit TV channels to garner publicity for the promoters of the event.

“We were told that some known anti-social elements were behind the incident”, he said. But he said he was not filing any case in this regard.

The city police has not banned or denied permission to the Kiss of Love campaign scheduled to be held on November 2.  “We received an application for staging a protest with placards. We will take a decision after assessing the law and order situation”, Deputy Commissioner of Police R.Nishanthini  said.  

The protest organised the group of youngsters in Kochi on Sunday against vandalism by the Bharatiya Janata Party at a coffee shop in Kozhikode has drawn the ire of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. On Wednesday, the VHP tore up posters and placards being prepared for the protest against “moral policing”.