Watch: Russian same-sex couples marry in Copenhagen
Three Russian same-sex couples have married in Copenhagen, while the city hosts the Eurovision Song Contest.
The city had in February announced plans to provide weddings for foreign same-sex couples this week, to mark both Eurovision and 25 years since Denmark’s first civil partnership.
Last month it was confirmed that three anonymous Russian couples were first in line to marry, contributing to calls from anti-gay activists for Russia to boycott the song contest.
The couples – two male and one female – praised Denmark’s same-sex marriage laws, for allowing them the chance to marry yesterday.
One of the brides said: “In Russia we have no opportunity to do this, and we are grateful that we can do it here, in such a beautiful place, with handsome people around!”
Her partner added: “The only thing I should remember today is to say ‘I do’. That’s all.”
The couples are legally married, but they will likely face persecution in Russia if they disclosed their new marriages to the state.
One of the grooms condemned “anti-gay propaganda, the religious propaganda” in Russia, adding that it was leading to “a lot of activists just hunting gay people”.
He said: “We can be the victim in this situation if somebody [finds out] that we are a couple.
“It will create a lot of problems for us if someone in our work knows about this.”
Russian Eurovision entrants the Tolmachevy Sisters qualified for the final on Tuesday, but were loudly booed by the crowd.
