Russian police have detained as many as 14 activists taking part in an unauthorized gay rights demonstration coinciding with gay pride events in other parts of the world.

The activists were arrested Saturday in Saint Petersburg. Russian authorities regularly ban gay rights activists from assembling.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people marched through Paris Saturday in a gay pride parade. Many of the participants praised the legalization of same-sex marriage in the U.S. state of New York and called for France to do the same.

Some French politicians joined the marchers. The rally came nearly two weeks after the French National Assembly rejected a bill presented by the opposition Socialist Party that would have allowed gays to marry.

Gay rights supporters say France has fallen behind as other European Union member states, including Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands, have legalized gay marriage.