"Day of Rage" protest in Paris
A “Day of Rage” protest against French President François Hollande gathered thousands of people in Paris on Sunday. Organizers say 160,000 people took part in the event. The police have given the official number as 17,000, but media reporting from the scene have disputed this and said it was higher.
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Protesters shouted "No to gay marriage” and “France is a nation”. Some wore red berets, carried tricolor flags and sang the Marseillaise. The fleur de lys symbol of the monarchy was also seen.
Fifty different groups and organizations, mostly right-wing, took part in the protest. They called for Hollande’s immediate resignation and said the actions of the government were leading France into an abyss.
Protesters said that the recent scandal of President Hollande’s personal life has dishonoured the country. This comes a day after Hollande officially announced his separation from Valerie Trierweiler.
Several organizations like the National Front, the Breton group behind the Red Cap movement and the anti-gay marriage movement “The Future for All” chose not to participate in the protest.
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