Riot kiss: What really happened?

Alexandra Thomas and Scott Jones say they have been shocked by the media attention caused by a photograph showing them apparently kissing during a riot in Vancouver. Photo / Getty Images

The world's most famous lovebirds have come forward to explain the kiss they shared amid the turbulent ice hockey final riot in Vancouver.

The image of the couple kissing quickly spread around the globe as people marvelled at the moment during the riot in Vancouver and speculated whether it was staged.

Australian Scott Jones and his girlfriend, Alexandra Thomas of Vancouver, told the Canadian network CBC that they were not "making out" as it appeared in the already famous photograph.

Mr Jones said he was comforting his girlfriend after she was injured when they were overrun by a phalanx of riot police.

"They started charging at us, and we tried to run away, but Alex couldn't," Mr Jones said.

The police were trying to clear the street of rioters after the Vancouver Canucks lost ice hockey's Stanley Cup in the final game of the series to the Boston Bruins.

Ms Thomas said she tripped as they tried to escape.

"I'm not sure, but I was starting to get really frightened because I'd never experienced anything like that before. And it's really scary, you know? ... I was upset, and he was there to make sure that I got out okay."

Mr Jones said he went back for her and tried to calm his hysterical and upset girlfriend as they waited while the riot police passed.

Ms Thomas said the thought of millions of people seeing her exposed legs and black underwear made her uncomfortable at first, "but I didn't pose that way, so I think people are able to see it's a moment that happened to be on camera and that it's not embarrassing at all".

"It's actually a really beautiful shot. I wouldn't have been present enough in that moment to see what was going on, so now I can see that moment, and it's pretty incredible."

The couple said they were shocked by the sudden media attention but they decided to clear up some of the rumours which were circling about the photograph.

"Some people didn't think it was my girlfriend ... You know, I drugged somebody, or there was that thing where she got stabbed or something like that?

"The rumours got out of hand so quickly. We just wanted to clear it up."

The couple have been offered appearances on The Today Show and Good Morning America which could have made them millions of dollars.

However, they turned the offers down because Mr Jones said that they did not want the pressure of appearing on television and its global exposure.

The couple will continue travelling as planned and will soon make their way to California.

- Staff reporter