Canberrans turn out for gay marriage rally

Canberrans have turned out in droves to support gay marriage.

Organisers claim there were an estimated 2000 at a rally in Garema Square in Civic on Sunday but 4000 had RSVPed to the event on social media.

They waved signs saying "Love is Love".

Australian Marriage Equality spokesman Ivan Hinton-Teoh urged the Liberal Party to grant its MPs a free vote, because it was the only hurdle in the way of Australia joining all other developed English-speaking countries in achieving marriage equality.

A Labor private members bill is before the lower house and the Greens and Liberal Democrat Senator David Leyonhjelm also have bills before the Senate.