cannabisnews.com: Copenhagen Hippie Town Christiania Under Pressure





Copenhagen Hippie Town Christiania Under Pressure
Posted by CN Staff on August 31, 2006 at 07:29:37 PT
By Rasmus Nord Jorgensen
Source: Reuters 
Copenhagen -- "Do you want hash?" the young man asks passers-by on Pusher Street, once a thriving open-air drug market in the heart of Christiania and now an example of how times are changing in this famous Danish "free town."For decades, Christiania clung to the principles of its hippie founders, who started the settlement as a squat in a deserted barracks in Copenhagen in 1971. It grew into a tourist hotspot, largely thanks to an easy trade in soft drugs.
The waterfront district feels like an oasis: rose bushes and wild hedges twist between the haphazardly built homes, workshops, cafes and workmen's huts.People sip beer or smoke joints on benches, while dogs sunbathe on the worn cobblestones.The community, which does not recognize Danish law, governs itself by consensus on everything from finances to disputes between neighbors. Despite drugs being illegal, marijuana was for decades sold openly at stalls lining Pusher Street.That changed when police started a wave of raids two years ago and now the stalls are gone."There is only a small group of dealers left, but it is the toughest and most hard-bitten who remain," said long-time Christiania resident and documentary film-maker Nils Vest.More fundamental changes are in the works for the area of prime real estate in one of the world's most expensive cities.The center-right coalition government wants to construct new buildings, remove houses from old ramparts, restore historic buildings and introduce normal ownership rules in the area, requiring residents to pay rent."Our goal ... is to transform Christiania so it becomes part of the Danish society and conforms to the rules and regulations of the rest of the society," said Christian Wedell-Neergaard, a Conservative party coalition member.In the true spirit of the "free town," Christiania's around 800 residents are discussing the plans with the government."There are still problematic and unconditional things which we have to deal with but there are also positive things, and we are optimistic," said lawyer Knud Folschack, chief negotiator for Christiania's residents. Not All Rosy Built some 300 years ago to strengthen Copenhagen's defenses during a period of constant war with nearby Sweden, Christiania covers some 86 acres between a moat and sea inlet.After a small group of hippies first occupied it in the 1970s, they were joined by hundreds more and pledged to build a new society of tolerance, democracy and environmental awareness. The Danish state, with a tradition of tolerance and a distaste for confrontation, never forcibly evicted them.It's a "true anarchistic village democracy where every resident can take part in the decision-making," says Vest. "There are no cars, except for the garbage truck. I know all my neighbors. There is no vandalism and hardly any burglaries."It hasn't always been so idyllic in the "free town" where residents include middle class citizens, welfare recipients, drugs users and criminals, according to a government report.The community was invaded in the late 1970s by hard drug dealers controlled by violent motorcycle gangs but in 1980 it fought back, throwing the dealers out and offering junkies withdrawal treatment.In 2004, the Danish parliament ordered an end to 30 years of open marijuana trade. Scores of riot police entered Christiania to enforce the ban.Now, the force patrolling the area has been reduced to 13 officers. Police say the operation has been hugely successful."Dealers came from Sweden, Norway and Finland to buy cannabis in large quantities, because it was cheaper here and the chance of getting caught doing the deal was very small," said narcotics police chief Steffen Steffensen.Critics say the trade spilled into the rest of Denmark's capital. Since Pusher Street was closed down, there has been an increase in gang violence in Copenhagen."In Christiania there were certain unwritten rules. They didn't sell to the very young, they didn't accept stolen goods as payment, they didn't sell hard drugs like heroin, and that has been exchanged for an unknown situation," said drug researcher Michael Jourdan.It is that spirit of uniqueness and self-sufficiency residents want to preserve as they go head-to-head with the government over its plans to change Christiania, where until now residents only paid a kind of community tax for services like electricity and water.Lawyer Folschack says a foundation will be set up to administer housing and business properties under the new rules, but details still have to be worked out -- through consensus of course."In my opinion, Christiania will remain as a social and housing experiment," he said.Source: Reuters (Wire)Author:  Rasmus Nord JorgensenPublished: Thursday, August 31, 2006Copyright: 2006 Reuters UnlimitedRelated Articles: Going Up in Smoke http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18377.shtmlDenmark Enclave Tears Down Hashish Stands http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18086.shtmlEnd is Nigh for Commune That Kept Dream Alivehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18016.shtml
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Comment #21 posted by whig on August 31, 2006 at 20:21:36 PT
Hope
Okay, now I don't want to reply to him. This is where a polite opinion from someone other than me might be better, though he can just shut off the debate at will and even purge our messages. Perhaps it is better to leave it be? I don't know but it isn't for me to say another word right now.Let me know your own heart, because you are able to see things in a different way than me.
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Comment #20 posted by whig on August 31, 2006 at 18:40:54 PT
kaptinemo
Don't you know liberal is the new conservative?http://cannablog.wordpress.com/2006/08/18/on-changing-sides/
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Comment #19 posted by FoM on August 31, 2006 at 17:39:20 PT
Kaptinemo
I'm beginning to think that people who are said to be liberal are true conservatives. Being kind, working hard, trying to live by a good value structure ( do unto others as you would have others do unto you ). Be a good american and by that I mean live and let live. I think words and how meanings get all twisted really hurts us.
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Comment #18 posted by kaptinemo on August 31, 2006 at 17:14:49 PT:
Why I am not a modern 'Conservative"
At least, not their kind. I am an anachronism, a throwback to a time when that word had honor.I grew up in a house that practiced the Goldwater form of conservatism. Live within your means. Respect for tradition...but not blind obedience to it. Mind your own business. Play fair. Different (does-not-equal sign) bad or evil. Help your neighbors...but don't ram that help down their throats. (That went double for international relations.) Dignity is for everybody. The measure of a man or woman is not their salary. Leave local issues to local people...and don't make 'Federal cases' out of disputes. Love your country...but watch your government with a hawk's eye, for, as the great H. L. Mencken used to say: "The only good bureaucrat is one with a pistol at his head. Put it in his hand and it's good-by to the Bill of Rights.". I think I turned out all right as a result of following such principles.But, these so called 'conservatives' nowadays...you'd think the {i]Sovs won the Cold War. Conform. God is on my side, so STFU! Don't question authority. Do as I say, not as I do. March in lockstep. Obey, Obey OBEY!.These times remind me of the BBC series "I, Claudius" where the elderly Emperor Claudius, played by Derek Jacobi, after achieving a degree of peace in the Empire, was worried. Things were too quiet, and he feared that the inevitable crisis would catch him off guard. In his cups, he said to his advisors "Let all the poisons that lurk in the mud, hatch out!" Meaning that trouble eventually erupts and makes itself known. It would seem that, all over the world, the poison of fascism is hatching out of the mud of today's mutated and barely recognizable version of 'conservatism'. Once again, from Mencken: The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all.That's what we are trying to do with drug law reform. The oppressive laws aimed at 'scoundrels' are savaging decent people like RunRuff and God alone knows how many. By attempting to stop them, we are in turn labeled 'scoundrels' by the real scoundrels, who grow fat and happy at the expense of all...and use the cloak of 'conservatism' to justify their supposed moral superiority in doing so.Maybe I should start calling myself a 'Liberal'. What can it hurt? They already have judged me for being a (said spittingly) "POTHEAD!" 
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Comment #17 posted by whig on August 31, 2006 at 16:55:54 PT
Hope
I've responded now. :)Go ahead, I don't want you to not post. Please.
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Comment #16 posted by whig on August 31, 2006 at 16:46:50 PT
Hope
I don't want you to stop talking, I just wanted a pause so we could think about what we want to say first before we let him off the hook accidentally. He's recognized the sincerity of my beliefs (I want to say our, because there are many of us here but you have different ones) and my right to believe as I do. I note he didn't expressly say he would respect my right to practice. So that's what I want him to commit to or reject.
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Comment #15 posted by FoM on August 31, 2006 at 16:06:47 PT
Hope
You shouldn't doubt yourself like you seem to be doing. You talked to the Pastor from a basic Christian viewpoint and that is fine. You impressed me.
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Comment #14 posted by Hope on August 31, 2006 at 15:53:24 PT
Whig...
I don't expect I'll respond over there, although I'll watch what you have to say. I've already put both feet in my mouth and disappointed a friend, you, and I don't want to do any more harm.
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Comment #13 posted by whig on August 31, 2006 at 15:09:29 PT
Hope
http://marshianchronicles.com/?p=698#comment-2943(Please on't respond to that just yet, I want to think about what I want to say to him. Kibbitz away here.)
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Comment #12 posted by whig on August 31, 2006 at 15:07:39 PT
Hope
Not mad at you. Thanks for the encouragement.
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Comment #11 posted by Hope on August 31, 2006 at 14:39:01 PT
Whig....
Please don't get mad at me!I mean my comments affectionately and not in any way condescending. I hope you know that.
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Comment #10 posted by Hope on August 31, 2006 at 14:36:56 PT
 And....
wreck everything in the place while he's at it.I do admire your tenacity, Whig.
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Comment #9 posted by Hope on August 31, 2006 at 14:35:42 PT
The Marsh episode reminds me
of those studies about the cannabis fed mice refusing to give up on their tails being taped to that bar.:0)In this case, I mean that in a funny way. Whig's going to drag the whole dang bar off with him before he gets out of there!
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Comment #8 posted by Hope on August 31, 2006 at 14:31:43 PT
 :0)
That wasn't so bad. 
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Comment #7 posted by Hope on August 31, 2006 at 14:29:15 PT
Oh no...
More Marsh? I dread even looking.
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Comment #6 posted by whig on August 31, 2006 at 13:22:02 PT
More Marsh
http://marshianchronicles.com/?p=703
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on August 31, 2006 at 12:13:30 PT
museman
That was good. How did we get so far away from music with a message?
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Comment #4 posted by museman on August 31, 2006 at 11:20:39 PT
...conform to the rules and regulations...
"Well, I smoke marijuana,but I can't get behind your walls,and most of what I do believeis against most of your laws.I'm a fugitive from INJUSTICEbut I'm GOING TO BE FREE!'cause your 'rules and regulations'don't do a thing for me.Oh, what you gonna do about me?"Quicksilver Messenger Service -1968Me - now.
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on August 31, 2006 at 10:53:22 PT
A Message from Robert Redford
Help Bring the Arctic Refuge into Homes Across AmericaWatch Robert Redford's video, then forward his message!  
You can help mobilize one million Americans in defense of the Arctic Refuge before the showdown vote in the Senate by forwarding Robert Redford's message to six other people.Ask them to watch the video, then make their voice heard in the Senate against legislation that would destroy the Arctic Refuge for the sake of oil company profits.The NRDC Action Fund will not ever keep, use or share the email addresses you provide on this Tell-A-Friend page. People are not added to our activist list unless they take action themselves on our website. Watch the Video: http://www.nrdcactionfund.org/tellafriend.asp
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Comment #2 posted by museman on August 31, 2006 at 10:46:05 PT
Let us conform!
""Our goal ... is to transform Christiania so it becomes part of the Danish society and conforms to the rules and regulations of the rest of the society," said Christian Wedell-Neergaard, a Conservative party coalition member.""Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes made of ticky-tacky,
Little boxes, little boxes,
Little boxes, all the same."
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Comment #1 posted by Truth on August 31, 2006 at 07:32:35 PT
"Do you want hash?" 
I prefer bud, thanks.
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