100,000, Christians, Secular, and Muslims, Against Gay Marriage in France.

Libération reports that yesterday 100,000 people, across France, demonstrated against proposed legislation  which will authorise gay marriage. The Bill, defended by the Women’s Rights Minsiter, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, will also authorise adoption by gay couples.

Civil partnerships are already recognised.

This was backed not only by ‘pro-family’ Catholic pressure groups, but official figures. In Lyon the ‘cardinal-archevêque’ Philippe Barbarin, took part in the march, as well as the Rector of the Lyon Grand Mosque, Kamel Kabtane. 

Representatives of all the 6 major religions are opposed to the Bill, as this report indicates.

 Non au mariage gay : pour une fois, les six principales religions de France – catholique, musulmane, juive, orthodoxe, bouddhiste et protestante – s’entendent sur un sujet !

No to gay marriage: for once the six main religions in france  – Catholics, Muslims, Jews, Orthodox, Buddhist and Protestant – agree on something  (More here on how they have organised the anti-gay marriage movement)

The movement has attracted even wider forces,

Des associations ou collectifs comme «Plus gay sans mariage» (homosexuels opposés au projet de loi), «La gauche pour le mariage républicain», les «Fils de France» (musulmans «patriotes»), ou l’association pro-vie Alliance Vita soutenaient ce mouvement.

Associations or collectives such “gayer without marriage” (homosexuals opposed to the proposed legislation), “the Left for republican marriage”, the “Sons of France (Muslim ‘patriots), and the anti-abortion Alliance Vita have backed the movement.

Today there will be another march, led by ‘intégrist’  (hard-line) Catholics,

L’institut Civitas, proche des catholiques intégristes, appelle à manifester dimanche après-midi à Paris contre le projet de loi ouvrant le mariage et l’adoption aux homosexuels.

The Civitas Institute, close to the Catholic ‘ intégristes’, has called to demonstrate this afternoon in Paris against the Bill, which will authorise gay marriage and adoption.

The organisers of the Saturday demonstration said it was a “Manif pour tous“, a demo for everybody.

Opinion polls indicate that 58% of French people are in favour of gay marriage, with 41% against.

However, last year 63% were in favour and  30%  against.

On Saturday there were some counter-demonstrations and incidents as they was pushed back by the police.

The group, Inter-LGBT, has issued a statement deploring «les expressions homophobes qui fleurissent ces derniers jours» (homophobic expressions that have flourished in the last few days),  and reminded the government that  «les propos homophobes sont réprimés par la loi» (homophobic remarks  are punishable  by law).