Behind a banner announcing a "feminist surge for equality", the demonstrators, mostly women, held up placards proclaiming: "Neither women nor the Earth are territories of conquest", or "Angry feminist, I don't won't let me do it."
“We are fed up with feminist washing, talk, we want action,” said Sophie Binet, in charge of gender equality issues at the CGT, a union member of the collective of 62 organizations at the origin of the demonstration.
Although France adopted a law on equal pay 50 years ago, the pay gap is still greater than 20%, "because there is no sanction", he said. she noted.
"It's as if there were no police to enforce speed limits," added the union and feminist activist.
On the banners, one could also read slogans against the far right, “misogynist, reactionary, liar”, or against failures in the fight against sexual violence.
"1% of convicted rapists, justice protects the aggressors"
In front of the Père Lachaise cemetery, a “femmage” (and not homage) to the victims of feminicides took place on the sidelines of the procession, in the form of a “die-in” of several hundred people in front of the Père Lachaise cemetery.
Before the start of the demonstration, the activists read on the microphone a letter sent by "Russian feminists" who call on women's defenders around the world to "take a stand against the war".
The war in Ukraine "brings violence from bullets but also sexual violence", they said.
Parades also took place on Tuesday in many other cities in France.