https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from France in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Paris on Sunday to demonstrate against gay marriage, calling for candidates in France's presidential election to support "traditional family values". https://www.thelocal.fr/20161017/anti-gay-marriage-protesters-return-to-frances-streets Mon, 17 Oct 2016 10:41:30 +0200 anti-gay-marriage-protesters-return-to-frances-streets France may have taken the historic step of legalising gay marriage last year, but it appears the landmark social reform came at a cost. The number of reported homophobic acts increased in 2013 by a staggering 78 percent, according to a watchdog group. https://www.thelocal.fr/20140513/homophobia-gay-france-attacks-rise Tue, 13 May 2014 21:03:00 +0200 homophobia-gay-france-attacks-rise A young Russian-born student named Anna, desperate to gain French citizenship has become the centre of a scandal in France, after alleging police tried to blackmail her into spying on members of France’s anti-gay marriage movement or face the prospect of being deported. https://www.thelocal.fr/20140307/spy-for-us-or-we-wont-let-you-become-french Fri, 07 Mar 2014 17:16:00 +0100 spy-for-us-or-we-wont-let-you-become-french A so-called "Day of Anger" protest against President François Hollande turned violent in Paris on Sunday when hundreds of youths clashed with police. Authorities on Monday said 250 protestors were arrested and 19 officers were injured. (SEE VIDEO) https://www.thelocal.fr/20140127/frances-day-of-anger-turns-violent-with-250-held Mon, 27 Jan 2014 09:39:00 +0100 frances-day-of-anger-turns-violent-with-250-held Thousands of gay-couples have tied the knot in France since the same-sex unions became legal in May last year, new figures show. Since May 2012 7,000 gay couples were wed - around three percent of the total number of marriages in France. https://www.thelocal.fr/20140114/7000-gay-marriages-in-france Tue, 14 Jan 2014 15:20:00 +0100 7000-gay-marriages-in-france We’ve all heard it said that politicians lack courage, but on Wednesday it was the turn of several dozen actual chickens to mob the gates of the French parliament in Paris. Find out what it was all about. https://www.thelocal.fr/20131205/chickens-at-the-gates-of-french-parliament Thu, 05 Dec 2013 11:26:00 +0100 chickens-at-the-gates-of-french-parliament Just six months after the rancour and celebrations surrounding France’s legalization of gay marriage, the state has received, apparently for the first time, a divorce petition from two young women originally married in the US, it was reported on Tuesday. https://www.thelocal.fr/20131029/france-sees-first-gay-divorce-since-new-law-marriage Tue, 29 Oct 2013 19:19:00 +0100 france-sees-first-gay-divorce-since-new-law-marriage Some marriages hit the rocks quicker than others it seems. A Frenchman was sentenced to 18 months behind bars this week for a violent attack on his new husband, just hours after they had tied the knot. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130917/husband-jailed-after-wedding-night-fight-with-spouse Tue, 17 Sep 2013 14:34:00 +0200 husband-jailed-after-wedding-night-fight-with-spouse Some 150 people gathered on Boulevard Lannes in the 16th arrondissement of Paris over the weekend, for a series of public and defiant kisses and embraces. But what was it all in aid of? https://www.thelocal.fr/20130909/photo-of-the-day-from-paris-with-love Mon, 09 Sep 2013 15:55:00 +0200 photo-of-the-day-from-paris-with-love A group of anti-gay marriage ‘pilgrims’ have been barred from gathering in Paris this weekend. Police claim they were forced to resort to social networks to discover the group's plans. ‘The Watchmen’ have vowed to assemble anyway. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130829/anti-gay-marriage-pilgrims-barred-from-paris-demo Thu, 29 Aug 2013 17:24:00 +0200 anti-gay-marriage-pilgrims-barred-from-paris-demo Gay marriage has been legal in France since May, but that’s not stopping a small group of hard-core opponents from setting off on a "pilgrimage" across the country to try to convince "the French people”. They are set to reach Paris in late August. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130812/anti-gay-marriage-pilgrims-start-walk-to-paris Mon, 12 Aug 2013 20:24:00 +0200 anti-gay-marriage-pilgrims-start-walk-to-paris A French entrepreneur is tapping into a niche market following France's historic legalisation of gay marriage in May. He has set up a website that contains a database of "gay friendly" doctors and lawyers and says it is necessary to help gay people "assert their rights". https://www.thelocal.fr/20130724/french-website-lists-gay-friendly-lawyers Wed, 24 Jul 2013 14:36:00 +0200 french-website-lists-gay-friendly-lawyers A gay couple in south-west France pressed charges for discrimination on Wednesday against a combative mayor who has repeatedly and publicly refused to officiate at their wedding, despite risking years in prison and a hefty fine. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130626/gay-couple-sues-french-mayor-for-wedding-refusal Wed, 26 Jun 2013 14:08:00 +0200 gay-couple-sues-french-mayor-for-wedding-refusal A mayor in south-western France has stoked controversy by refusing to marry two gay men, while declaring he “might marry two girls.” It's the latest development in a row brewing in France since the legalization of gay marriage in May. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130614/french-mayor-wont-marry-two-boys-but-maybe-two-girls Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:06:00 +0200 french-mayor-wont-marry-two-boys-but-maybe-two-girls Despite already being legalized, and despite the first weddings taking place, French opponents of gay marriage are planning to use the "global visibility" of the Tour de France to publicize their fight, it was announced on Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130612/gay-marriage-opponents-set-to-target-tour-de-france Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:31:00 +0200 gay-marriage-opponents-set-to-target-tour-de-france As two men prepare to become France's first married gay couple and the leaders of the anti-gay marriage 'Manif pour Tous' movement renounce the campaign they themselves spearheaded we look at what's next for France's powerful and ever more radical gay marriage opponents. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130528/what-next-for-frances-anti-gay-marriage-movement Tue, 28 May 2013 12:36:00 +0200 what-next-for-frances-anti-gay-marriage-movement Journalists were attacked, and 350 arrests made in Paris as peaceful protests against gay marriage in Paris on Sunday turned violent. Authorities blamed the trouble on a hardcore group of far-right militants. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130527/hundreds-arrested-as-gay-marriage-demo-turns-violent Mon, 27 May 2013 10:46:00 +0200 hundreds-arrested-as-gay-marriage-demo-turns-violent The French government may still be celebrating the victory of seeing its divisive gay marriage bill finally signed into law but the battle over the issue of same-sex unions in France now looks set to move from a national to a local level. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130521/gay-marriage-row-moves-on-to-frances-town-halls Tue, 21 May 2013 11:24:00 +0200 gay-marriage-row-moves-on-to-frances-town-halls France's highest court the Constitutional Council cleared the divisive gay marriage bill on Friday, paving the way for same sex unions to become legal. Francois Hollande said he would sign the bill into law as soon as Saturday. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130517/gay-marriage-bill-cleared-by-frances-highest-court Fri, 17 May 2013 19:12:00 +0200 gay-marriage-bill-cleared-by-frances-highest-court President Vladimir Putin on Friday said Russia could change agreements for the adoption of Russian children made with France and other Western states that are legalising gay marriage. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130426/putin-warns-france-after-gay-marriage-vote Fri, 26 Apr 2013 20:37:00 +0200 putin-warns-france-after-gay-marriage-vote