Crowd rallies around gay men detained on Mexico beach

NEW YORK - A crowd of people on a beach in Mexico rallied around three men who were being detained by police after someone reportedly complained about "obscene acts of exhibitionism.

The incident on Zazil Kin beach in Tulum on Feb. 21 was captured on video by Maritza Escalante Morales. It shows a crowd of supporters saying "I’m also gay" and "no to homophobia" as police detain the men.

"We are gay, and they are taking us for that," one of the men says as he's being lead onto a patrol vehicle in his bathing suit.  The man was handcuffed to another man.

The couple from Canada were kissing on the beach, local news reports said. Police arrived after someone reported "obscene acts of exhibitionism."

Officers pressured by the crowd let the men go.

Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission said it opened an investigation into the "probable violation of human rights" perpetrated by the police officers.

The commission said it plans to work with police in Tulum to avoid further acts of "discrimination."