An estimated 9,500 people participated in Hong Kong's seventh annual Pride Parade.

Among those calling for the government to recognize the unions of gay and lesbian couples with marriage and extend anti-discrimination laws to include sexual orientation were ten top diplomats from the United States, Britain and France, among others, the South China Morning Post reported.

The parade took place a day after Cardinal John Tong Hon, Hong Kong's top Roman Catholic cleric, called on followers to vote against candidates who support LGBT rights in the city's upcoming elections.

“In the upcoming District Council election and future polls, I urge all believers … to consider candidates' and their parties' stance on family and marriage issues, as well as their position on a law to ban discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation,” Tong wrote in a letter, adding that the movement to increase LGBT rights had “shaken our society to its core.”

Tommy Jai, one of the parade organizers, said: “We have waited 20 years for anti-discrimination legislation already, and that's far too long.”