First gay marriage is broadcast to the nation

In a historic ceremony broadcast live on French television, the first gay couple to marry in France said “oui,” then sealed the deal with a lengthy and very public kiss.

Hundreds of invited guests including a government minister gathered for the moving ceremony Wednesday inside city hall in Montpellier. Hundreds more flocked to the square outside the building as Vincent Autin, 40, and his 30- year- old partner, Bruno Boileau, were wed.

The politically charged ceremony was held under tight police surveillance — a stark reminder of the months of bruising opposition to the new gay marriage law that French lawmakers passed earlier this month.

Although the marriage itself went undisrupted, outside the city hall it was not trouble- free. A plainclothes policeman dragged back one protester on Wednesday who shouted threats, before the ceremony. Police also used tear gas to push back a small group of demonstrators near the city hall.