La Croix and the BBC: coverage of "Manif pour tous" demonstration in Paris

Environ 500000 personnes ont défilé contre le "mariage pour tous" - Around 500 000 people have marched against "marriage for all".

Reports and videos.

The BBC coverage is here, and suggests that as many as 800 000 people may have joined the marches and rally in the centre of Paris. The BBC report gives the impression of a much more explicit support from the Catholic Church and the political right for the "Manif pour tous" movement than is in fact the case. La Croix's coverage, for example, indicates a much more nuanced indication of support for the demonstration from Cardinal Vingt-Trois, President of the French Bishops' Conference. He attended the starting point of one of the three marches, but not to walk in the demonstration:

« Je veux manifester mon soutien et mes encouragements aux organisateurs et que les Français puissent dire ce qu’ils pensent vraiment » du mariage homosexuel, a-t-il affirmé.

« Je ne suis pas venu pour marcher avec eux. En tant que président de la Conférence épiscopale, j’ai d’autres moyens pour exprimer mon point de vue au gouvernement ». « Le gouvernement a ses responsabilités », a ajouté le cardinal, souhaitant qu’il puisse « trouver d’autres formules ».

["I wish to show my support and my encouragement to the organisers and that the French people are able to say what they truly think" about homosexual marriage, he affirmed.

"I have not come to walk with them. As President of the Episcopal Conference, I have other means of expressing my point of view to the government". "The government has its responsibilities" added the Cardinal, hoping that it can "find other methods".]
 

Further coverage at France24: Huge crowds rally against gay marriage in Paris. The photo gallery at the foot of this page is worth viewing.