Tens of thousands march in Taiwan against same-sex-marriage bill
Taipei saw twin demonstrations on Saturday over same-sex marriage both by supporters and the opposition
Tens of thousands took to the streets in Taiwan yesterday to protest against same-sex marriage, as a debate rages in parliament over a bill that would legalise such unions.
The organisers of a demonstration outside the presidential office, Happiness of the Next Generation Alliance, said around 100,000 attended, calling for marriage to remain between members of the opposite sex.
"The bill will amend the law so there is no [distinction] between man and woman, husband and wife ... we respect gay people but please don't change our law," organiser Tang Chien-ming said.
Police declined to say how many had turned out, while elsewhere in the city a smaller rally in support of the same-sex marriage bill took place.
Under the "diverse family formation" bill currently going through parliament, the terms "man and woman" and "husband and wife" would be changed to "two parties" and "spouses", respectively.
Wang Chien-hsun, head of the Control Yuan, a government watchdog that exercises the powers of impeachment, censure and audit, said the public, not parliament, should decide the matter.
