Tens of thousands of people took part in the massive annual Pride march in Paris on Saturday (29), as LGBTQIA+ rights groups say they fear discrimination if a far-right government takes power after the country’s elections.
France goes to the polls on Sunday (30) for the first round of a parliamentary election that opinion polls show could bring the far-right National Rally (RN) to power. The second round will be held on July 7th.
Drag queen Simone de Boulevard told Reuters at the Paris event that “we are afraid, afraid for our access to healthcare, for our daily safety”.
“Homophobic and transphobic violence is intolerable,” Boulevard added.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin sent police and local authorities a letter on Friday (28) asking for security reinforcements around LGBTQIA+ events, including Paris Pride, saying there had been an increase in discriminatory acts and “political and community antagonism” that could affect such events.
Human rights group Inter-LGBTQIA+ and other human rights groups called on people to march in large numbers on Saturday to oppose far-right ideas and protect LGBTQIA+ rights.
RN did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
The party, which is socially conservative and anti-immigrant, has said it has no links to violent far-right groups. Still, it voted against legislation that would give LGBTQIA+ groups more rights, including in the European Parliament.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
