Paris: Tens of thousands of people protested against France's new gay marriage law in central Paris on Sunday, and police clashed with right-wing demonstrators. The law came into force over a week ago, but organizers decided to go ahead with the long-planned demonstration to show their continued opposition as well as their frustration with President Francois Hollande, who had made legalizing gay marriage one of his keynote campaign pledges in 2012 election.
Marchers set off from three separate points across Paris, and by early evening they filled the Invalides esplanade just across the Seine River from the Champs Elysees. As night fell, several hundred protesters clashed with police, throwing bottles and chasing journalists.
Interior Minister Manuel Valls said police had arrested around 100 far-right protesters who refused to leave following the end of the demonstration. Meanwhile, in southern France, the 66th Cannes Film Festival gave the Palm d'Or, its top honor, to "Blue is the Warmest Color: The Life of Adele," a French film about a tender, sensual lesbian romance.
Police estimated around 150,000 people took part in the demonstration in Paris, but march organizers claimed on their Twitter account that more than a million people did. A similar protest in March drew about 300,000....
more
09:44 AM, May 27, 2013
Paris: France's constitutional council has rejected a challenge by conservative lawmakers to the country's new gay marriage law, saying the law was constitutional. That means France could see its first gay marriages by the end of May. France's Parliament passed the law legalizing gay marriage in April after a wrenching national debate. Opponents led by the conservative UMP party immediately challenged the law in France's Constitutional Council, which rejected their...
12:46 PM, May 18, 2013
Same-sex couples in Washington state started saying wedding vows early Sunday morning, just minutes into the first day they could marry after the state's gay marriage law took effect. Hundreds of gay and lesbian couples picked up their marriage licenses as early as 12:01 am Thursday, but because of the state's three-day waiting period, the earliest weddings could take place was just after midnight, early Sunday morning. ...
04:51 PM, Dec 09, 2012
