Gay marriage opponents to march in Paris

Thousands were expected to protest in Paris on Sunday afternoon to demonstrate against the legalisation of gay marriage and adoption in France. The definitive adoption of the bill comes on Tuesday, which would make France the fourteenth country to make same-sex marriage legal.

Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes

Albéric Dumont, a member of the organisation “Protest for All,” told the AFP news agency, “We only have a few days left. We’re not going to leave the streets now.”

Fewer participants are expected in Sunday’s demonstration, compared to the 300,000 at the 24 March protest, or 1.4 million, according to organisers.

The organisation’s spokesperson, Frigide Barjot, said she was expecting between 30,000 and 50,000 people in Paris.

Groups opposing the bill have protested regularly in past weeks, with hostile demonstrations daily from last Wednesday to Friday.

Police arrested more than 100 activists during the week. Two journalists were attacked in Wednesday’s march and cars parked along the route of the demonstration were vandalised.

The National Assembly was no stranger to tensions this week, with a heated final debate between deputies on Friday.

Opponents have said the government has rushed the bill through its final legislative stages. A fast-track measure was implemented to limit debate of the bill to 25 hours.

On Tuesday, the same-sex marriage bill will be definitively adopted by the National Assembly, but could potentially be appealed.

The UMP has already announced that, following Tuesday’s vote, it will make an appeal request to France’s Consititutional Court.