French demonstrators protest approval of same-sex marriage

Tens of thousands of French conservatives and activists have marched through the streets of Paris to protest French legislation allowing same-sex marriage.

Protesters on Sunday rallied on a route leading to the Champs Elysees after police banned them from marching on the famed Paris avenue.

The hugely controversial “marriage for everyone bill,” which aims to legalize same-sex marriage and adoption, was passed by the lower chamber of the parliament on February 15, and it will be facing a final vote in the Senate next month.

The protesters want the government to withdraw the bill and put it to a referendum as polls indicate a shrinking majority of French voters backing gay marriage.

Highlighting France’s flagging economy, the protesters condemned Socialist President Francois Hollande for ignoring main issues and pushing ahead with his election pledge of “marriage for all.”

Reports say the French police used tear gas to prevent hundreds of protesters from reaching the Champs Elysees.

“We want work not gay marriage,” and “No to gayxtremism,” some of the protest banners read.

The last Paris rally in January saw around a million people on the capital’s streets in opposition to the same-sex marriage laws.

French President Francois Hollande has promised to throw his weight behind the bill as the proposed legislation was one of his presidential campaign promises.

Several other European states, including the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Portugal, Norway, Spain, and Sweden have authorized same-sex marriage.