FRANCE: Protesters in Paris say "no" to gay marriage

Record ID: 277810

  • Title: FRANCE: Protesters in Paris say "no" to gay marriage
  • Date: 24th March 2013
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (MARCH 24, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ARC DE TRIOMPHE WITH CROWD OF DEMONSTRATORS CROWD OF DEMONSTRATORS WAVING FLAGS CROWD OF DEMONSTRATORS HOLDING BANNER BANNER READING (French) " A DAD AND A MUMMY THERE IS NOTHING BETTER FOR A CHILD" CAR WITH BANNER ON TOP READING (French) "HOLLANDE, YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT US" DEMONSTRATORS WITH SIGN READING (French)
  • Embargoed: 8th April 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: People,Lifestyle
  • Reuters ID: LVA2878E52B7MUHGKRMOT9VT46WT
  • Story Text: Several hundred thousand people took to the streets of Paris on Sunday (March 24) to protest against the planned legalisation of same-sex marriage.
    The bill has already been through its first reading in the lower house of parliament and will go before the Senate on April 2.
    In one of the largest protests in decades, roughly half a million people marched through Paris on January 13, demanding that President Francois Hollande withdraw the reform bill and hold a national debate before any change in the definition of marriage.
    On Sunday, demonstrators said they were coming to the capital to try to stop the government from allowing same-sex couples to marry and adopt children.
    They held pink and blue flags and banners with messages calling on the government to deal with unemployment instead of the marriage bill.
    "Each child has the right to have a father and a mother and it's the reason why we are here today. Look at that behind me, we are the family PME (Papa, Maman, Enfant) Daddy, Mummy, Child. We are here to defend this," said Tanguy Leveque a demonstrator.
    "We want to have a safe family foundation with a man and a woman for a father and a mother, not a child alone," said another demonstrator, Marie.
    French police refused this week to allow opponents of the bill to demonstrate on the city's famous avenue, the Champs-Elysees, saying it posed a threat to security.
    Demonstrators ended up clashing with police when they tried to reach the area around the nearby Arc de Triomphe.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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