In France, increasing numbers of divorced fathers are demanding custody of their children. Some even scaled a crane to demand the government hold talks with fathers' advocacy groups. [Deutsche Welle]

TheDongerNeedsFood · 2013-07-11T19:19:34+00:00

So nice to see the French father finally sticking up for themselves!! France is likely the most anti-male country in all of Europe. Remember, this is the country that sided with the wife when a woman sued her husband for a lack of sex in their marriage.

Can you even imagine a man in the U.S. suing his wife for not giving him enough sex?!?!?! You would literally have every single women's group in the entire country protesting on her behalf.

nlakes · 2013-07-11T18:23:41+00:00

Mothers winning custody cases 80% of the time despite the existence of joint custody laws?

Yet more proof of the Patriarchy! Won't someone help all those poor mothers being burdened and oppressed with the care and company of their children?!

Hamakua · 2013-07-11T21:09:58+00:00

Just some history background into the father's rights movement.

Scaling buildings and cranes by men for access to their children is something of a symbol.

On October 31, 2003, David Chick, dressed as Spider-Man, climbed a crane near Tower Bridge in London to add his voice to the Fathers 4 Justice campaign for fathers' rights. He ended up staying at the top of the 100 feet crane for six days. The stunt resulted in unprecedented press coverage for the group and its campaign.

The police cleared the area and the disruption to the city's traffic was enormous, resulting in the suspension of the London congestion charge for a while. Chick finally climbed down from the crane of his own accord.

Chick is not formally a member of F4J, but his protests were closely identified with it in the media. F4J denied planning the action, although it did later approve it. A representative arrived at the scene, where a crowd built up, and the ensuing press and media coverage was considerable.

Traffic was prevented from crossing the bridge from the morning of the 31 October until November 4. Chick remained on the crane until the following evening. Upon descending, he was immediately arrested for causing a public nuisance.

Mayor of London Ken Livingstone condemned Chick's action as being irresponsible, for the disruption it caused in the capital. Livingstone said that Chick was "amply demonstrating why some men should not have access to their own children."

When Chick went before the Southwark Crown Court in May 2004, he was cleared of all charges. It emerged that Chick had repeatedly stressed during the stunt that the road closures effected by police, which cost £5m per day in lost business and caused ten-mile tailbacks, were unnecessary as he was of sound mind and there was no danger of him falling from the 100-feet tall crane. A senior police officer at the scene noted in a log "Climber does not like road closures so should be used as bargaining tool" and kept the road closed to shorten the protest.

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