adminThe mass protest comes just two days ahead of a decisive parliamentary vote tomorrow on the bill — which also allows adoption by gay couples — that would make France the 14th country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage.
Clutching French flags, dressed in pink and blue, the colours of the movement, carrying children or pushing buggies, protesters shouted slogans against President Francois Hollande as they made their way through the city.
“We’ve been to all the protests,” said a 32-year-old mother who only gave her first name Camille, as she breast-fed her four-month-old son.
“We’re here for children’s rights.
“We don’t want the state to be complicit in a child being deprived of a father or a mother,” she said.
Organisers and security forces were on high alert as they sought to avoid a recurrence of violence that marred anti-bill protests last week.
There were warnings far-right extremists intent on sparking unrest have infiltrated the opposition movement.
“We want a peaceful demonstration and we reject all groups that directly target homosexual people,” said Frigide Barjot, spokeswoman for the “Manif pour Tous” group that spearheads the anti-bill movement.
She said she had called on “professional security services” to help out, and police sources said three protesters carrying canisters of teargas had been detained so far.
The leader of the far-right “Nationalist Youths” group was also spotted in the procession.
“We’re around 50 nationalists in the protest,” said Alexandre Gabriac, who was detained last week after clashes with security forces. — AFP.
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