With only three days' notice, the protestors gathered in Civic Square and listened to speakers from the ACT talk about their love and commitment to their partners, their feelings of exclusion from the mainstream community and a desire to have their relationships recognised in the eyes of the law.
Simon Margan from Community Action Against Homophobia (CAAH) said that the protest had the support of most onlookers.
"It
was great to
have so much
support. In
fact, there were
no negative
comments
directed to us
at all. There
was a mix of
people of all
ages and
politics, and as
the polls
indicate, there
is a building
groundswell of
support that
wasn't the case
even a year
ago", said
Margan.
ACT lobby groups Good Process and Queer Action were also involved in the protest.
A spokesperson for ACT chief minister Jon Stanhope said that the chief minister welcomed the demonstration.
"Obviously there's a sentiment out there in the community that you ought not discriminate against someone on the basis of sexuality", said the spokesperson.
Following the tabling of the ACT government's Civil Unions Bill last month, the federal government announced that it would use its constitutional powers to overturn the territory's law because it attempted to equate same-sex partnerships with marriage.
The Stanhope Government is receiving legal advice on how the bill might be amended to placate the federal government without watering down its intent..
Another protest is being organised in Canberra on 29 April in the lead up to the debate in the ACT Legislative Assembly.