Gay Rights - in St Peters Square (??)

Homosexual-rights activists organized a demonstration in St. Peter’s Square on January 14.

The small but noisy demonstration marked the 9th anniversary of the death of Alfredo Ormando, a homosexual activist who set himself on fire in front of the Vatican basilica to protest the Church’s opposition to the legal recognition of same-sex partnerships.

Franco Grillini, a member of parliament aligned with Italy’s center-left governing coalition, led the protestors, who carried banners that read “No Vat”-- short for “No to the Vatican.” The group was again protesting Vatican opposition to legislation, now pending in parliament, that would provide legal recognition for civil unions.

The Pope’s remarks came the day after the Italian Senate began its consideration of the civil-union proposal. Grillini said: “The Church has a right to speak, to say what it wants; but parliament and the government should ignore the religious position on this issue.”