French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, a man that was instrumental in the advancement of France’s same-sex marriage bill, urged the country to remain calm on Wednesday, condemning acts of anti-gay violence in a Lille gay bar earlier this week.
Last night, four people were detained after carrying out an attack on the bar just days after several others were arrested in Paris for turning an anti-gay protest violent, attacking police and damaging cars on the street. Though opposition to the bill hasn’t swayed much in the National Assembly, gay organizations have been reporting a rise in hate crimes since the bill’s introduction.
“These protests have a right to take place, we are in a republic,” Ayrault said in a statement to the AFP. “But calls for violence, calls to hate, must be condemned.”
President Francois Hollande, who made legalizing gay marriage one of his major campaign promises, has also chimed in, instructing citizens to act accordingly during demonstrations. Though he respects “the right to protest,” he says “homophobic acts, violent acts,” have no place in the country.
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The bill is expected to pass on April 23. When it does, these big wigs will have bigger problems on their hands during a mass protest planned for May 26, which will call for a referendum on marriage equality.
Footage from last week’s riot below:
andy_d
hmmmm. Anti-semitic violence, anti-gay violence. Starting to sound like Vichy France all over again . . .
MuscleModelBlog.com
How terrible! I am very surprised. Why is there so much backlash in a modern, Western European, officially secular country? Puzzling…
dnyboy
Well the violent backlash is coming from the people who aren’t exactly secular, and they’re the same people who riot in the Banlieues. I’ll leave it at that.
And the French protest. It’s what they do.
2eo
@andy_d: If it counts for anything my grandad executed 15 Vichy traitors who shopped his resistance friends to the Germans.
I wish a lot more of them were executed.
balehead
So sad that people are obeying their fears…..
casey
And where is the Church’s call for non-violence?
dan20791
@MuscleModelBlog.com: Hey, I live in Paris and in my experience the manif pour tous (anti gay) people are 100% catholic and muslim. I haven’t met a single person against gay marriage that isn’t religious.
Dionte
So sad to see all the hate and violence.
DOFEK
The fucking “FROGS” are just as fucked up as any bloody Catholic. AdamHomo
Billysees
@casey: 6
Say it again casey.
“And where is the Church’s call for non-violence?”
————————————-
Protestantism will consult the Book.
It says that —
1. All things are allowable, all things are lawful, all things are permissible…..1 Corinthians 6:12…..1 Corinthians 10:23
2. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way…..Romans 14:13
3. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God…..Romans 15:7
4. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love…..Ephesians 4:2
5. Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble…..1 Peter 3:8
6. Man’s ways are of the Lord,…..Proverbs 20:24
7. You may believe there’s nothing wrong with what you are doing or how you feel about yourself, so keep it between yourself and God. BLESSED are those who don’t feel guilty for doing something or thinking of themselves in the way they know is best…..Romans 14:22
Gay marriage snuggles fairly nice in there, as it should.
And don’t forget what Jesus said, “The Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit will lead and guide us into the future…..John 16:13
That’s what is helping us navigate our lives in this world today.
Cheer….
2eo
So are these billions of cretins reading some kind of bastard bible or something, because all I see is violence and the moderates doing nothing about it, ever.
Billysees
@2eo: 11
A thought provoking observation, “all I see is violence and the moderates doing nothing about it, ever.”
Haven’t there been some counter pro-Gay demonstrations ? I think there have been.
The catholic church is fomenting all of this and Muslims are joining in.
That shows how similar those two works are. That shouldn’t be.
I’m sure that moderates are letting it be known what their concerns and attitudes are.
Their voices are being heard.
I wouldn’t stand in the way of rage like this. Let it have its day.
Love will prevail in the end.