14 Dec 2016

Watch: Thousands gather for gay marriage in Taipei

Organizers put the turnout at 250,000 while police estimated 75,000.

A concert and rally in support of same sex marriage legislation outside the Presidential Office in Taipei on Saturday was one of the biggest-ever gay rights events in Taiwan and Asia.

The rally, in response to protests against the legislation last week, smashed funding goals and coincided with international human rights day.

The concert opened with the song "Don't Give Up" by indigenous singer-songwriter Suming Rupi.

"I hope the right to marry will be extended to all people in Taiwan," he said while addressing the crowd, according to Asia One.

Other performers included Philippine pop chanteuse Sandee Chan, Hong Kong Canto-pop singer Denise Ho and Taiwanese Mandopop singer Dai Ailing.

"Gay people also have the right to get married," President Tsai Ing-wen was cited as saying by Presidential Office spokesman Alex Huang, at a different event.

Watch footage of the event below: