Gay rights campaigners are planning a homosexual kissing protest when Pope Benedict XVI visits Barcelona this weekend. "We are hoping for a crowd of people of the same sex who will kiss each other for two minutes in front of the Pope," the Telegraph quoted Marylene Carole, one of the organizers, as saying.

"After two minutes, the flashmob will finish and each participant will leave as if nothing happened," she said.

The organizers are inviting people via Facebook, Twitter, and a blog to participate.

They complained that Facebook had taken down two "event pages" titled Queer Kissing Flashmob that were being used to advertise the protest, without giving a clear explanation.

"The reason is to show our unhappiness with an institution which for a long time has been against the sexual and emotional rights of many people who do not practice exclusively reproductive sex or people who do not love each other in the way that the institution thinks is right," Carole said.

Joan Perez, another of the organisers, said about 300 people so far plan to attend.