Big demonstration over the weekend. Look:

Under a sea of fluttering pink and blue flags, the Manif Pour Tous (Demo for all) movement’s complaints were eclectic and apocalyptic – with a dash of paranoia and conspiracy thrown in for good measure.

“If we don’t stop this government there be no future for France,” said Médéric, 20, a student. “The family is at risk. France is at risk. You wait, it’ll be euthanasia next.”

On Sunday, protesters – 80,000 police said, 500,000 claimed the organisers – again took to the boulevards of Paris and Lyon in a show of force against the French government and in support of “the family”. In case anyone was in doubt about what those words meant, the logo on the flags, badges, stickers and banners showed a “traditional” family: father, mother, son, daughter.

The protesters were united against gay marriage and adoption first. They lost that battle last April when parliament approved same-sex marriage. Since then, they have continued their opposition but moved on to “the family”, which they believe is threatened by a proposed family law expected in the spring.

What’s interesting is all the young people who were there, at least judging by The Guardian’s account:

Jessica, 24, was one of many to voice the wider malaise. “This government has nothing but contempt for us. Nobody is listening. We are not traditional, old, French Catholics; we are young and we want to be heard,” she said.

You wouldn’t see this in the US, would you? Even though we are generally a more conservative country, socially speaking. What is going on in France? I’m asking in a straightforward way.