Two weeks after over half a million people turned out to an anti gay protest, hundreds of thousands of people have hit the streets of Paris to show their support for same sex marriage.

Walking behind a banner that read, ‘Equality Now, always against discrimination’ the thousands of supporters made their way towards Bastille and walked alongside powerful allies such as  the chair of the Socialist Party , Harlem Désir, and the former Minister of Health, Roselyne Bachelot, of the opposition UMP party.

Paris mayor Bertrand Delanoe, who is openly gay says, ”There is a big difference between today’s march and the one two weeks ago, which is that this demonstration is one of brotherhood, not of hatred.”

“”The majority of French people want all couples to have equality in love and parenthood.”

The protest on Sunday 27 January, was held only two days before a parliamentary marriage equality debate.

French President, Francois Hollande has pledged to pass the law this year as promised in his electoral campaign. If the bill does pass, France will be the 12th country in the world to legalise same sex marriage and the biggest in terms of influence and power.

| Sarah Murphy