Protesters filled Paris' Esplanade des Invalides on Sunday, rallying
against a new law that will allow same-sex marriage in France starting
Wednesday.
Paris police estimate
150,000 demonstrators marched along three different routes before
converging in the sprawling plaza along the Seine River.
The arguments against
same-sex marriage in France sound similar to those expressed in other
countries, with many opponents saying they're for more civil rights, but
against homosexuals officially getting married. Other protesters called
themselves "a defender of the family," or said they "are not
homophobic, (but) just want to protect children."
CNN's French affiliate
BFM said 4,500 police were deployed Sunday to keep the peace after
extremist threats, but the event proved to be calm.
On May 18, French
President Francois Hollande signed into law a bill allowing same-sex
couples to marry and adopt. The signing came a day after France's top
court, the Constitutional Council, ruled that the bill adheres to the
constitution.
France is the ninth country in Europe to allow same-sex marriage.
If pending legislation in
New Zealand and Uruguay is enacted as expected this year, the worldwide
total of countries with legalized same-sex marriage will rise to 14.
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