Pro-Life March in Paris

Today (Sunday, January 23), there was a major event for Catholics and others opposed to abortion. A "March for Life" was held in Paris, drawing about 40,000 participants. According to a report at Le Salon Beige, where the home page has numerous photos and comments, this is twice the number as last year. Among the politicians present were Bruno Gollnisch, Carl Lang (formerly of the Front National, now head of his own party), Xavier Lemoine, mayor of Montfermeil in the department of Seine-Saint-Denis, and Patrick Louis of the MPF (Mouvement Pour la France), the party still headed by Philippe de Villiers. Apparently Marine Le Pen was not there, but that is not surprising since she is not opposed to abortion; she has said, however, she would not reimburse the procedure and that she would initiate a program to increase the birthrate (presumably of ethnic Frenchmen. How she would do this is not clear.)

At 5:09 p.m., AFP issued this statement:

Several thousand people opposed to abortion began their march this afternoon (...). The marchers, including many families, departed from place de la République at 3:30 heading for place de l'Opéra, behind a banner proclaiming "United in Defense of Life". Many children held red and white balloons with the inscription "Marching for Life". (...). The participants had come from all over France, on the occasion of the 36th anniversary of the Veil Law that legalized abortion in France, a law they want abolished. Foreign delegations were also present.

Below, a scene of the crowd.


Below, Bruno Gollnisch. (Note that his presence obviously has a political motivation as well. The Front National has to appeal to as many Catholics as possible, but I am NOT implying he does not believe in what he is doing.)


By 6:02 p.m. AFP had issued the following:

Some 6,500 persons according to the police, 40,000 according to the organizers (...) This participation was twice that recorded in January 2010 (...) when 3,100 persons according to the police, and 20,000 according to the organizers had gathered.

It still isn't clear how many attended. All we know is that twice as many as last year were there. Le Salon Beige suggests that it was less than the double of last year, but many more than the official police estimates.