Scores of gay
demonstrators gathered outside the conservative opposition
party's headquarters on Saturday to oppose its plans to
withdraw their newly won rights.
Gay groups are
concerned that, if voted into power in the March 9 general
election, the Popular Party will reverse legislation
allowing them the right to marry and to adopt
children.
''We're gathering
to ask the PP to change its homophobic attitude,'' said
Antonio Poveda, president of Spain's Federation of Gays and
Lesbians.
''We've fought
hard to achieve equal rights and are appalled by this
party's stated wish to turn the clock back to Spain's
repressive past,'' Poveda said.
The Socialist
government of Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero
legalized gay marriage in July 2005 and passed legislation
allowing gay couples to adopt.
The PP
immediately appealed against the laws at the Constitutional
Court and its leaders have pledged that if elected
they will overturn adoption rights and downgrade gay
marriage to a civil union.
Protesters
carried banners reading ''Rights are fought for. We are for
a secular state,'' ''No to religious dictatorship,''
and ''Democracy is a daily battle.''
The PP is backed
by Spain's staunchly conservative Roman Catholic Church.
Besides Spain,
the Netherlands, Canada, and Belgium have legalized
same-sex marriage, while Britain and some other European
countries have laws that give same-sex couples rights
to form legally binding partnerships.
In the United
States, Massachusetts is the only state that allows gay
couples to marry. Oregon this month became the ninth U.S.
state to approve spousal rights for some gay couples.
(Harold Heckle, AP)
