DENMARK: Copenhagen To Celebrate Eurovision By Marrying Russian Gays

The Eurovision finals take place in Copenhagen next month and city officials will stick a finger in Putin's eye by marrying several Russian gay couples before the visiting international press.

"We have already scheduled 20-30 couples in our calendar -both Danish and foreigners. On the first of the three days, we start with three Russian gay marriages," office manager Flemming Otto, who is in charge of the event, told Reuters. This year is the 25th anniversary for same-sex civil partnerships in Denmark, which was the first country in the world to allow such marriages. "It's no secret that the Eurovision Song Contest will attract many people from the gay community to Copenhagen, and last year Denmark had new legislation that made it easier for us to marry foreigners of the same sex," Otto said. This is the third time Denmark will be hosting the contest, which has a large following in the gay community and whose motto this year is "join us".

NOTE: Veteran journalist Rex Wockner clarifies via email that Denmark legalized same-sex marriage in 2012. Wockner was in Copenhagen 25 years ago when Denmark became the first country in the world to legalize civil partnerships and he sends us the below photo of a happy couple on that day.