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　　SEOUL— The U.S. Supreme Court decisionmandating marriage equality nationwide hasenergized gay rights supporters around theworld. Gay rights remain a highly contentiousissue in a key U.S. ally, South Korea, wherepolice did a deft job Sunday of preventingpotential clashes between Christian protesters and gay activists.

　　A massive police presence and physical barriers kept thousands of Christian activists fromaccessing a gay pride festival Sunday near Seoul City Hall.

　　But just outside the perimeter, they beat the drums of condemnation. Church groups heldsigns blaming homosexuality for the spread of AIDS, and saying gay love and gay marriagehave no place in Korea.

　　“When something is wrong you must tell them that it is wrong. You cannot just keep yourdistance, or try to hide it,” said pastor Joy Kim. “You need to tell them with no uncertaintythat if they live this way, their small pleasures with cause your family and your nation to suffer.”

　　But once inside the heavily guarded perimeter, a festive mood prevailed at the pride festival.

　　Visitors got a chance to snap a photo with likenesses of President Barack Obama and First LadyMichelle Obama at an exhibition booth sponsored by the United States Embassy.

　　“We see this as part of our policy on global human rights. The fact that we are here supportinga Korean festival which has been around for 16 years, with about a dozen other embassies - Ithink we all really just want to show that we are supportive of LGBT human rights here inKorea,” said U.S. diplomat Anthony Tranchini.

　　Sunday’s event culminated in a march around the local area by tens of thousands of gay rightssupporters.

　　Despite some occasional taunting across the barricades, the clashes many feared neverhappened - something many credit to the crowd control proficiency of the South Koreanpolice force.

　　Meanwhile, gay activists remained dismissive of the Christian groups’ hardline approach tosame-sex issues.

　　“They say that they know the Bible. They say that the Bible teaches that homosexuality is bad,but what they are showing is not love. So this is hypocrisy. This is the epitome of hypocrisy.This is the epitome of hate,” said activist Gabriel.

　　For now, the mood is upbeat, but South Korean gay activists know they have ahead of them along uphill struggle to achieve the kind of breakthrough the recent Supreme Court decisiongave their counterparts in the United States.