Finnish court acquits duo’s gay bar stunt on Russian plot

COPENHAGEN – A Swedish comedy and rap duo has been acquitted of building a makeshift gay bar in 2015 on a plot of land in Finland owned by Russian president Vladimir Putin to protest against Russia’s anti-gay laws.

The court on Aland islands off the southwestern Finnish coast rejected Thursday a Russian charge against Frej Larsson and Simon Gardenfors, the local Nya Aaland daily said. The Russian charge said the two unlawfully constructed on the grounds of Putin’s summer residence and demanded a fine.

The two built a wooden shack to resemble the Blue Oyster bar from the “Police Academy” films in 2015 before posting pictures on social media to announce the opening. The Russian consul on Aland reported the stunt by the duo Far & Son to Finnish police.