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‘Listen to the streets’ on family, thousands of Parisians tell French politicians
Massive protest for marriage
A demonstrator waves a flag on the Champ de Mars near the Eiffel Tower in Paris on January 13 to protest against France’s planned legalisation of same-sex marriage.
A FRENCH bishops’ spokesman urged politicians to “listen to the streets” after hundreds of thousands of people rallied against same-sex marriage. “We’re facing questions about society – what the family is, what marriage is, and whether there’s a difference between men and women,” Monsignor Bernard
Podvin, spokesman for the French bishops’ conference, told France’s Metro daily. “I’m not one who says the street must decide, because this is always dangerous, and political responsibility rests with those elected. But the street is expressing a great frustration today – those holding political responsibility can’t expect
to govern without listening to what it’s saying,” he said. The January 13 demonstration was organised by a coalition of 30 family groups. Organisers said 800,000 people participated, although French police put the number at 340,000. Mgr Podvin said the Catholic Church believed homosexuals
“must be respected” but was against the same-sex bill, which was introduced in November by the government of President Francois Hollande under the slogan, Marriage for All. In addition to legalising same-sex marriage, it would allow adoption by same-sex couples. “In our eyes, there’s nothing con-
PHOTO: CHARLES PLATIAU, REUTERS, CNS
tradictory between fighting firmly against homophobia and saying no to a radical transformation of the family model,” Mgr Podvin said. At the conclusion of the demonstration, protesters in Paris’ Champ de Mars called on Hollande to “hear and understand the people of France,” adding that the bill had Please turn to Page 4