Advertisement

Europride 2013 opens in Marseille

AFP
AFP - [email protected]
Europride 2013 opens in Marseille
Photo: Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP

Some 7,500 gay rights supporters and activists marched through the French port of Marseille on Saturday at the start of Europride 2013.

Advertisement

Under a banner proclaiming "Europe marches towards equality", they made their way from the city's old port to the beach amid celebrations for the beginning of the 10-day festival devoted to the lesbian and gay cause.

The marchers were backed by several left-wing figures from France and delegations from abroad, including some from New York, Montreal and Norway.

A group of 50 marchers from Munich paraded in the traditional Bavarian dress of breeches and embroidered shirts and filed along behind their muse "Franca", a drag queen dressed in pink.

There were also 20 floats from various organisations including the lesbian and gay staff from the French train operator, SNCF, and the LGBT association of police and gendarmes.

Marseille Europride has been hit by several problems including cancelled concerts, and foreign delegates who received their invitations too late to get a visa. Initially, up to 130,000 people were expected to attend the event.

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also