NICOSIA – One of two men booted from a nightclub on Cyprus said it was over their kissing, disputing the owner’s version that their behavior was excessive and was bothering other patrons.

The man, who was not identified, told the Cyprus Mail that they were in the Metropole Retro Club and after ordering drinks a little after midnight they began kissing, but wasn’t sure if it was for a few seconds or a few minutes.

They said a security team ordered them to leave and the owner, not named, told the newspaper that their sexual orientation wasn’t a factor but their behaviore was and other customers complained about it.

The man who complained contacted the paper to give his side of the story, saying that he asked a bartender what they had done wrong and was told that, “You kissed a guy,” which was at odds with what the owner said,

He said that they then left and were “shocked” by the incident – with his boyfriend calling the manager soon after and explaining the situation.

“The owner then asked if we were two men, and when he replied that yes, we are a gay couple, the manager said that the security acted correctly, and that ‘we are not allowed in his place’,” the person told newspaper.

“I stand by the fact that we did nothing inappropriate, and had no idea that kissing and dancing together at a nightclub would have offended anyone. It’s a nightclub after all, not a church,” he said.

The club said their behavior had become sexually extreme and that it wasn’t a case of discrimination, that all are welcome, adding they were asked to leave “not only for the overall calm at Retro but mainly for the protection and personal safety of the couple in question”.