A Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons) statement released Friday on a gay kissing incident that occurred on church property says the couple were detained for more than just a simple kiss.

The church says the couple were detained and cited for trespassing by the Salt Lake City police because the two men “engaged in passionate kissing, groping, profane and lewd language, and had obviously been using alcohol.”

“There was much more involved than a simple kiss on the cheek,” the church says.

Church security guards cuffed and detained Matt Aune, 28, and his partner Derek Jones, 25, on June 9, a Thursday, as they walked across the Main Street Plaza, a walkway that connects the Mormon Temple to other church sites that belong to the church. Police cited the pair for trespassing

Mormon officials also repeated their insistence that any couple – gay or straight – would be asked to leave under similar circumstances.

“[T]hese men were asked to stop engaging in behavior deemed inappropriate for any couple on the plaza. … They were politely told that the Plaza was not the place for such behavior and asked to stop.”

But a police report released on Tuesday conflicts with several key church statements. The report does support the claims that the men had been drinking and used profanity when cuffed – assertions the men do not deny – but there is no indication that the men were politely asked to stop being affectionate.

The police report says, “[Guard Walter] Nickel told both AP's … that they need to leave their property for the behavior and that it is unwanted.” Nickel told the police the unwanted behavior was “kissing and hugging.” The report does not describe the men as engaging in “passionate kissing” or “groping” as the church alleges.

“I guess they consider hugging groping,” Aune told the Salt Lake Tribune. “Regardless of if a kiss is on the cheek or the lips, it still is not inappropriate – unless you are gay, according to the LDS Church.”

Jones said during a television interview that as he was being cuffed, one of the guards said, “It's just gross, it's just wrong.”

The incident prompted a “kiss-in” protest Sunday attended by about 100 couples near the church plaza, where gay and straight couples affectionately kissed and wore paper hearts in solidarity. Organizers say they will stage a second “kiss-in” this Sunday.

Mormon leaders say being gay is sinful, and have encouraged their members to give their time and money to fight gay marriage legislation. Their door knocking and donations (reported in the millions) is often credited for tipping passage of a gay marriage ban in California, Proposition 8.