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TENS OF THOUSANDS of protesters took to the streets of Paris yesterday to demonstrate against gay marriage, calling for candidates in France’s presidential election to support “traditional family values”.
The march was briefly interrupted by six topless feminist protesters from the Femen group who were quickly surrounded by demonstrators before police intervened.
The “Manif Pour Tous” (Protest for Everyone) campaign has been re-activated two years after its last sizeable demonstration.
Protesters held signs with slogans such “United for the family” as they made their way towards the Eiffel Tower, many of them waving French tricolour flags or banners in the movement’s trademark pink and blue.
‘The power of the people’
Police said up to 24,000 people took part, while organisers put the number far higher at 200,000.
The target of their anger is the 2013 law legalising same-sex marriage introduced by Christiane Taubira, the justice minister at the time.
One protester attending the march, 72-year-old retired engineer Michel Delaune, said: “I am against gay marriage and against the crappy leaders who oppose the power of the people.”
A 29-year-old man who identified himself as Guy said he wanted a “return to the principles of Christian civilisation in terms of family, instituitions and work.”
But around a hundred gay rights activists mounted a counter-demo to “respond to the hate propagated by Manif Pour Tous”, with same-sex couples kissing in defiance at the city’s central Place de la Republique.
Arrests
The anti-gay march, which took place under high security, passed off peacefully apart from a brief confrontation between demonstrators and a gaggle of around 20 activists from an anti-fascist movement.
In total 13 people were arrested, including the six Femen protesters.
Three years ago, Manif Pour Tous mounted a vigorous campaign against same-sex marriage — at one point claiming to have brought 1.4 million on the streets of Paris.
But President Francois Hollande defied the protests and in 2013 France legalised gay marriage.
The movement faded away, but its leader Ludovine de la Rochere said it now had “a bright future” because Hollande’s Socialist government had “destabilised families”.
But none of the leading candidates for the right-wing nomination for next year’s presidential election have said they have any intention of repealing same-sex unions if they are elected.
- © AFP 2016.
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You refer to six topless women twice. Yet no pics. Click bait article!!
@Bleep12345:
False advertising.
Organisers always overestimate the crowd size but 24,000 and 200,000 is a ridiculous difference
Father Dougal: “I’m no good at judging the size of crowds Ted, but I’d say there’s about seventeen million of them out there.”
@Patrick O Shea:
Why Gay Marriage Is A Form of Political Control
You should take a look at this if you would like to understand the mindset of those who see Gay Marriage as tyranny.
A man has as many masters as he has vices.
Ya i watched the first ten seconds very interesting all right….
@j scotus eriugena: Posted by a channel called Church Militant with the statue of mary in the background.
Not biased at all, at all.
@meatyslaps:
we are all biased
@j scotus eriugena: the Roman Catholic fundamentalists are at it again.
They’re perfectly entitled to their opinion. You don’t agree? Big deal.
@Thommo’s Big Nose: you are right but that’s not how you approach things on here, you have to either blame the catholic church, government, old people with antiquated catholic church driven agendas, etc, etc for such gatherings…..
If you don’t agree with anti gay marriage protests, don’t have one.
That’s the logic right?
Who are you people talking to?
I don’t agree, it’s no big deal. I just think it’s sad these people devoted their day to try to take rights away from others.
@Awkward Seal: Roman Catholic fundamentalists and Islamic fundamentalists oppose same sex civil marriage.
How on earth has gay marriage destabilised families? These people need to get a life!
Cathaholics…
@Deborah Behan: it is a sad reality that fundamentalists, whether of the Roman Catholic or Islamic kind, oppose same sex civil marriage.
It’s funny how these days, the “Anti Fascists” are the Fascists now.
Margie, go back to political science class please.
@Margie Murph: Good point, it used to be Russia was a beloved communist state and the USA was the hated capitalist bully, now the rolls are reversed
In case people don’t realise this was a conservative (right wing) group protesting because they want to take rights away from people. They were countered by a group protesting the assertion that it’s ok to take rights from people. Fascism is a right wing ideology, so is conservatism.
@Dave O’Keefe: I know what Fascists are, they would deny free speech to those with whom they disagree and they bring violence to peaceful protests.
Usually it comes down to the majority denying those who are in the minority free speech and are also likely to bring violence whether your left wing or right wing.
‘Facism is a right wing ideology’ Not really Nazis are National Socialists, the key word being Socialist.
Christopher, when the definition changes from for the good of the country to for the good of those we deem to be of the country it’s not national socialism http://europeanhistory.about.com/od/germanyandprussia/fl/Was-Adolf-Hitler-a-Socialist-Debunking-a-Historical-Myth.htm
Left and Right Wing has been so obfuscated over time that it does not surprise me that fascism has been lumped into the right wing box. However, that is entirely wrong as fascism uses a great deal of Marx and Engels thinking, and by extension Hegel.
The lines are very unclear and yes the terms have been confused but from my perspective the only people peddling the Facism is Right wing myth are Socialists and lefties who want to distance themselves from Nazis/Facists as much as they can.
@Pádraig Ó Raghaill: That’s correct. Totalitarianism is Totalitarianism, left or right its all the same. A jackboot comes in all colours. It’s just interesting that those who would consider themselves left and tolerant are anything but in 2016. Horseshoe theory applies but they’re so stupid they really dont see that the regressive left are the tyrants now.
@Christopher Ryan: Nazis was more an ideology of Totalitarianism, nationalism. Underlying placeholders of racism, militarism, traditionalism etc are irrelevant to the main ideology as they are present throughout left or right models.
@Christopher Ryan: The meaning of left and right wing has changed over the decades. The Nazi’s were considered right wing back then as opposed to the communist left they were fighting. They would not be considered right wing today. It all depends on the political climate at the time. Dave talking pure shite again. “Fascism is a right wing ideology, so is conservatism.” Conservatism is any political philosophy that favours tradition in the face of external forces for change, and is critical of proposals for radical social change. Fascism can be both left or right wing. All you have to do is shut done anyone opposing your beliefs and you can consider yourself a fascist regardless of political leaning. Todays “anti-fascists” are the fascists.
@thejynxeffect: It has not changed it has been butchered with people have very little of an idea of what ideologies and governance or control actually mean. The same happens with Socialism, that is oppressive, no it can and has been oppressive due to the governance or control structure. People often cannot separate control methodologies from the societal model.
For example Totalitarianism Socialism = Communism etc and so forth.
How can you take rights away from people when they don’t have those rights in France?
@Patrick Gough: Same sex marriage has been legal in France since 2013.
I didn’t know that.
Chris, I said fascism is right-wing not right-wing is fascist. So you say that idea is only pushed by socialists trying to distance themselves from nazis? Your response is really that those on the left are nazis? Pathetic
@Patrick Gough: It’s mentioned in the article above
“in 2013 France legalised gay marriage.”
@Dave O Keeffe: Ye fool where did I say those on the left are Nazis?
I said Nazis are on the left – the literal opposite of what you’re accusing me of lol
No fascism is not right wing – the modern ‘rightism’ has more akin to anarchism. Any ideology which seeks freedom of the individual over societal interest is rightist. Extreme leftism is embodied in Communism and Fascism. Extreme ‘rightism’ is embodied in Anarchism and Anti-government ideologies. If you think of the preppers in America that is the embodiment of rightism. As I mentioned earlier the traits of militarism, nationalism, traditionalism and even racism (oppression) can be and are present in all ideologies, regardless of left or right lean.
Pádraig, check a dictionary. You know, somewhere that you’ll find a neutral definition of the word.
Chris, how is leftists being nazis the literal opposite of leftists and nazis are on the same side? For it to be the opposite you would have to be saying that nazis aren’t on the left.
@Dave O Keeffe: Did you study sociology Dave?
Pádraig, political science
@Dave O Keeffe:
Then how home you do not understand that fascism is left leaning by the construct of its ideological foundations.
Margie, just because you equate hate-speech to free speech, it doesn’t change the fact that it quacks like a duck.
@philip cleaner. Still trying to figure out what it is you’re saying. What quacks like a duck? Try to be a bit clearer.
@Margie Murph: fundamentalists, whether Roman Catholic or Islamic, oppose same sex civil marriage.
I support the six topless women, they are the true heroes of the moment.
I am a member of the mid association. more bare diddles.
I voted for gay marriage because I am a committed lover of personal freedom. A former workmate’s gay son got married in Cavan earlier this year. Central to my support was the dignified way the gay community asked for my vote based on human rights and that when it came right down to it, I did not nave the heart to vote no. Everything is going grand in Ireland now. Live and let live I say, I wonder is this march to placate Islamist who believe in murdering gay men.
@Val Martin:it is disgraceful that there was a vote on human rights.
@Val Martin: it is interesting and significant that fundamentalists, whether Roman Catholic, or Islamic, opppose same sex civil marriage.
@Micheal OLainn:
it is also interesting the rate of disease, mental health and suicide amongst the Homosexual Community,
@j scotus eriugena: that is a destedtable and hateful remark. It betrays your fundamentalist outlook.
Suicude is higher npbecause of naked prejudice from people such as your ilk.
@Micheal OLainn:
if prejudice were the cause of suicide then Catholics would be popping their own clogs every day.
I’m shocked. Gay Paris is full of bigots that don’t believe in liberté for all after all
The marriage laws are in place now so it’s a march to nowhere. It’s just one issue that they have.
The more worrying aspect is the left/right divide is becoming more polarised everywhere because they consider that overall societal changes are far too liberal.
Luckily, we deal with most of these things through referenda, it takes longer but when something is won it’s won.
Legislating, from the top down, on anything that changes society without referring to the people in the society will always have consequences. Liberal academics tend to forget this when they try to impose their models on an unprepared population.
These consequences bring us Trump, Le Pen, neofascism etc. as a natural response. But what happens when it all tips over, who’s to say the extremist won’t win out. Look how close Trump is, look at the anti-multicultural effects on Brexit, look what happened to Iran when they went too western. Disaffection is growing everywhere mostly because of economic reasons, but every other axe that needs grinding is brought into the battle.
@Greg. The legislation could be repealed just as easy as it was introduced if there is enough momentum, its called democracy
@Greg. Referenda results are not always absolute as we saw with Lisbon, Niece and the divide Brexit has caused.
They can always be re-run if the will is there.
@John Byrne: The marriage vote would never be repealed because it was done by referendum to enshrine the right into our constitution, with regard to Lisbon and Nice those were forcibly repeated because the EU were not going to tolerate us giving them the ‘wrong answer.’ There would, will be much larger protests should any politicians start trying to take back something like equal marriage particularly in a so called republic (such as FRANCE.)
As far as I know the referendum results can only be changed by another referendum in ireland. The uk is different.
You’re right John, we could even have a daily or weekly referendum, if we wanted, but it not practical. The point is they are a much more stable and acceptable way to change certain fundamental laws. For socially divisive issues, imposed legislation will generally come back to bite you down the line, as public moods change.
Fundamentalists, whether Roman Catholic or Islamic, oppose democratic referenda. Authoritarian religions impose opinions and don’t want to hear the opinions of others.
Actually Michael, everyones is opposed to holding a referendum on something where they themselves see no reason to change, it’s not just a fundamentalist phenomenon. Other than those proposed by government for various reasons, It always takes a groundswell to kick things off, it doesn’t require a majority but the pressure has to be strong enough and long enough, as those in the Amend the 8th lobby are well aware of. It’s alway those on BOTH extremes that create the polarising effect when it does come to the voting.
@Greg Blake: the reasons given for opposition are fundamentalist in nature and drive by the religious dogma of Roman Catholicism and Islam, both authoritarian religions.
Not so ‘gay Paris’ after all
Nobody tell the head bangers in the State funded funny farm the Iona Institute
@Patrick O Shea: yes, the fundamentalists and reactionaries in the Iona Institute.
Bigots dressed as Marianne, a symbol of liberty and reason, want to remove a three year old law allowing gay people to marry each-other. Pretty disrespectful to France’s national symbol.
@Phil Blanc: Shocker! Bigots are hypocritical!
But you’re right, the law is 3 years old. Thousands (I don’t have the specific numbers) of couples have now been married in France under this law since. What do they propose to do about those couples? Forcefully nullify their marriages?
They wasted a day out protesting this – there’s no way the French can take it away now.
Many comments in here about those marchers being bigots, etc etc, but all those comments only show how many bigots are posting on this site. Shocking indeed!!!!
@Nick Drake: I would consider them fundamentalists and reactionaries attempting to impose their dogma on others.
Paris, the city of love… for shame.
Liberté, égalité, fraternité. The founding words of your country. Lost in a march of bigotry.
You’re entitled to your opinion and I’ll respect and defend your right to have it, but it’s not right.
@OU812: Well your not really respecting them are you? You just insulted an entire country for a few thousand marchers.
So much for liberté, egalité, fraternaté!
@Niall Campbell:
Why Gay Marriage Is A Form of Political Control
You should take a look at this if you would like to understand the mindset of those who see Gay Marriage as tyranny.
A man has as many masters as he has vices.
The French love an aul protest. Mind you, anything that has that snake Le Pen as a supporter must have something badly wrong with it.
@Peter Mc Hugh: it’s an opportunity for the fundamentalists and extreme right wingers to kick up a fuss over their anti liberal and discriminatory views.
Neo Nazi pigs.
I wonder if ireland’s own extremist group The Iona ‘Institute ‘ were represented.
@mursim: they were at least there is spirit and in shared prejudice.
Why do people keep calling Marine Le Pen right wing? Her policies are explicitly anti-capitalist and include nationalising the banks, leaving the euro, state control of health, education, energy and transport, industrial protectionism and anti-globalisation. She’s basically Wally with a hang up about brown-skinned people.
@Ben McArthur:
“Why do people keep calling Marine Le Pen right wing? ”
I agree that it is wrong to call her that. She’s clearly far-right.
@Phil Blanc: Are you going to address Ben’s point that all of her policies are left-wing except for her dislike of immigration?
I wasn’t aware that someone else’s marriage has an impact on mine. What can I do to change this???? Idiots
I’m thinking the sarcasm was missed in my comment. I was calling the protesters idiots. I don’t give a shite who marries who. Protesting someone else’s marriage is like demanding the closure of Avonmore because you’re lactose intolerant.
The saddest argument is the one where SSM infringes remotely on the behaviours of traditional marriage,so they are against. This is a ridiculous viewpoint. Its very sad and speaks little of liberté, égalité, fraternité
Bigot bigots all I see is bigots
It’s the Journal, so read “Hundreds of thousands”, they tend to conflate numbers for causes they agree with and diminish the protests that they are against.
24000 is the number estimated by French police.
@Graham Kavanagh: French Police have a liberal bias.
Is it any wonder that the country’s gone to the dogs!
@Michael Anthony Thomps:
Do you mean dog-vuggers?
Yes, Cultural Marxism is destroying France and the West
#repealthegay
@John Byrne: you are the voice of prejudice.
gay marriage will be repealed when the French caliphate is established. Inshallah
See? Common ground, ye have found something that you both agree on.
@Dave O Keeffe:
Yes, because Islam is the Ape of Catholicism. There is just enough truth to it to make it appealing.
Nature abhors a vacuum. Modern liberalism is built on sand. Europe in 50 years will be either Christian (if people wake up) or Islamic (if current demographics continue).
“The anti gay march….”, that’s a bit strong,I think. Yes, I’m sure there were some homophobic nutters present but in general the protest was more in support the present Surrogacy Law in France. To me it’s people with very traditional, conservative views on ‘family values’ peacefully protesting but describing them all as ‘anti gay bigots’ just sounds like PC intolerance.
If the French want to change their existing surrogacy law then it will be up to it’s parliament to decide, unlike our politicians who just pass the issue for someone else to decide at some unspecified time in the never-ending future !
@Mercurial One:
““The anti gay march….”, that’s a bit strong…”
No really. When you you leave your house and prepare to march in favour of removing rights, available to everybody, from one group of people owing to the fact that those people are gay what you are doing is anti-gay no matter how you try to spin it.
@Phil Blanc: Fair comment Phil except that as far as I know, the present French surrogacy law applies to married couples of all genders. IMO that law should be changed but I’m certainly not in favour of branding anyone with a differing opinion as being a “neo nazi pig”, as one commentator said here earlier.
Part of the problem today on many social issues, is a growing trend towards polarisation or the Manichean view that can best be described by George W Bush’s infamous quote that “You’re either with us, or against us”.
@Mercurial One: “the present French surrogacy law applies to married couples of all genders.”
And why wouldn’t it?
@Mercurial One: you think its polarizing to call people “neo nazi pigs” but its not polarizing to want to take away peoples rights?
@Eucrid: I think he could have been saying that the ones who wish to be perceived as being tolerant and open are perhaps not that far removed from those they are intolerant of..
@Nick Drake: the fundamentalist reactionaries seek to deprive others of the rights which the majority enjoy. They seek this on discriminatory grounds and for hateful reasons.
Vive la France.
@Daniel Fontaine: yes, for introducing same sex civil marriage in the first place. Fortunately, the protestors are a minority, however vocal and militant. Fundamentalists are strident and judgmental.
@Micheal OLainn:
There was a minority at the foot of the cross my brother. The Kingdom of God is like a Mustard Seed.
@j scotus eriugena: you are badly infected with religious dogma.
@Micheal OLainn:
And you with stds
a wise man was asked if fascism could take hold in the usa. “yes but we would have to call it anti fascism”
So much for the city of love! Truly sickening!!
am going to guess that the 6 femen protesters didn’t look anything like the girls dressed as marianne
So much for the city of love! Truly sickening!
So much for Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité… :(
The same as our water protesters. I counted 10,000. The protesters said 1,000,000,000,000,000.
At least the anti gay marriage protest was allowed to happen in France. No similar protest would be tolerated here, people would be afraid of the backlash, and the lack of toleration and the vitriol, and abuse during last years referendum is an example of this.
So much for the city of love! Truly sickening!!
A man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh, By entering into marriage, man and woman are amalgamated into a single entity intended to last for their lifetime.
Do you work behind the mirror glass walls with telephone connections for their victims and families in the “Straight Therapy Room Sessions” in the Iona Institute just wondering you kinda have that psychotic smell off you ?
@Patrick O Shea:
Straight therapy works. It was stopped because of PC, not because of any new study. I know what kind of smell I would get from you anyway.
@j scotus eriugena: I doubt if therapy could help you at this stage, your too far gone I fear.
It works? Well, you probably are a very reliable source.
I love the truthful picture of reality you paint. Whenever you’re finished weaving shadows from your mirror, there’s a boat at the bottom of the steps waiting for you. Say hi to Camelot.
@Ian Phillip Creaner:
Yeah
I voted yes in the marriage referendum because of my uncle but I’ll never understand the attraction of one man to another
@Aidan Holland: Oh get over it, there`s lots of things in life people will never understand, one mans attraction to another is hardly a big deal, it has existed as long as time, ever hear of human nature at all ?
Is that because you are straight Aidan ??
@Patrick James Walsh:
Fallen Nature
To be honest there now Aidan, why would even feel a need to post that on a public forum? I’m sure it was unintentional but it smacks now of “The lady doth protest too much”.
Straight therapy works. It was stopped because of PC, not because of any new study. I know what kind of smell I would get from you anyway.
@j scotus eriugena: the fundamentalists oppose abortion and same sex marriage.
@Micheal OLainn:
Stop, you’re making me blush.
have your say