Over 400 Majorcans in Madrid protest against gay marriages

MORE than 400 Majorcans will be taking part in the demonstration which will be held in Madrid today, calling on the government to withdraw the law which will allow same sex marriages in Spain. The participation has been organised by the Balearic Family Association, whose president, José Ignacio Perez de Arguelles, said that initially they had only expected about 100 people to travel from Majorca. However, support has built up over the past few days. They will be leaving Palma on two flights, returning late tonight. Perez said that the Majorcan contingent will probably be much larger, as many childless couples have travelled under their own steam and are spending the entire weekend in Madrid. The demonstrators are also demanding legal changes in the adoption processes, guaranteeing the right of a child to have a mother and a father, in agreement with the United Nations Convention on Children's Rights. The demonstration is led by the Family Forum, an organisation which has more than 5'000 member associations who represent more than four million families. The organisers say that the demo is “not against anybody, it is apolitical and aconfessional, to affirm marriage between a man and a woman and the family.”