Guest imported_Europe Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 If you ever been to Copenhagen, you went to Christiania, the famous hippie town. Well known for loads of graffiti, cool people, relaxed atmosphere, no cops and the infamous Pusher Street where hash and mariuhuana are sold openly. This past sunday it all changed. Telegram: Residents, drug dealers of Danish hippie enclave tear down hashish stands Associated Press Writer Last update: 04 January 2004 COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- Residents who openly bought and sold hashish at a famous hippie enclave in Copenhagen abruptly demolished their booths on Sunday, trying to head off a Danish government crackdown on illegal drug sales. Drugs are illegal in Denmark but sales of hashish in the enclave, called Christiania, are tolerated. Residents banned the sale of harder drugs in 1980. Many of Christiania's residents believe the drug crackdown will lead to the eviction of 1,000 residents and the realization of government plans to redevelop the 84-acre area for upscale housing. Residents said they were trying to pre-empt any government action by dismantling Pusher Street, as the hashish-selling area is known. "We don't want (Pusher Street) to be a lever for the government's illegal and amoral plans to close our Christiania," they said in a statement. Using a tractor, crow bars, saws and hammers, dealers and residents tore down two dozen colorful booths that have stood along the sparsely paved but well-traveled Pusher Street for years. Last month, a government lawyer reported that residents could be legally evicted from the enclave because the Danish state gave them the right to borrow the land -- not rent it -- in 1989. Christiania took root in 1971 when dozens of hippies moved into the derelict 18th-century fort on state-owned land behind the capital's old ramparts. They proclaimed their freewheeling society Christiania and it became a counterculture oasis with psychedelic-colored buildings, free marijuana, no government, no cars and no police. In 1987, Christiania was recognized as a "social experiment" and two years later the government gave residents the right to use the land, but not ownership of it. Christiania has become a tourist destination, with some travel guides mentioning it prominently, and Pusher Street appears on several city maps. In May, one of the booths that sold hashish was donated to Denmark's National Museum. Since the Liberal-Conservative government took office in 2001, it has promised to end the open sale of hashish and "normalize" the area by rebuilding. "Any step toward legalizing Christiania is a good step," Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in a televised interview. In deference to critics who fear the property could be overdeveloped, Fogh Rasmussen told TV2 he acknowledged that "Christiania doesn't need to be plastered with tall buildings." Police in recent months have increased the number of raids to stop the drug deals, and residents have been split over eliminating the sales completely. Police estimate illegal hashish sales bring the community about $1.3 million annually. http://www.politiken.dk/images/04/01/05/0401050714189190_e70407e5.jpg'> http://www.politiken.dk/images/04/01/05/0401050714251499_916d274d.jpg'> http://www.politiken.dk/images/04/01/05/0401050714271921_c25823f1.jpg'> http://www.politiken.dk/images/04/01/05/0401050714291961_de7dfe49.jpg'> http://www.politiken.dk/images/04/01/05/0401050714352608_ef45de14.jpg'> http://www.politiken.dk/images/04/01/05/0401050714417216_8387f5ca.jpg'> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_Europe Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 http://images.bt2.metropol.dk/215/215408/215408_large.jpg'> http://images.bm4.metropol.dk/127/127106/127106_normal.jpg'> http://www.polfoto.dk/Polfoto/Photo/Live/watermarking/6s401kyy_guest.jpg'> http://www.polfoto.dk/Polfoto/Photo/Live/watermarking/ch098917_guest.jpg'> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic Thamaire Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 crazy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
!@#$% Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 geez. i slipped hard. i can't believe i didn't get to see it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeking Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 damn. i got lucky. i happend to show up on the weekend of their big 'save christania' protest/party thing. definitely glad i got to see it before the government pulled it apart. im glad the dealers realized that fighting to save the community as a whole was more important than fighting to save their 'right' to deal right out in the open. next to your boys mexican spot, which i still rank as my third favorite meal ever, christania was definitely a highlight of the trip....well, ok, it comes after the danish girls on bikes also...but i mean, its definitely up there. seeks/faxi kondi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HESHIANDET Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 what i find most interesting is the fact tons of niggas w/ big guns don't run that shit (or do they?). you know if that shit was in an american city there would be tons of fools robbing people, and tons of organized crime trying to run that show. a thugs paradise for sure.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeking Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 which is exactly why denmark is a far nicer place to live. (that and every girl is hot and rides a bike, frequently in a skirt) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunm Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 Early morning=bad jokes Originally posted by HESHIANDET what i find most interesting is the fact tons of niggas w/ big guns don't run that shit (or do they?). you know if that shit was in an american city there would be tons of fools robbing people, and tons of organized crime trying to run that show. a thugs paradise for sure.... No doubt....it'd be like....a BLACK MARKET! Get it? hyuk hyuk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weapon X Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 Hippies as in…actual hippies? Tear that place down! But for real, seeker is right about their proactive initiative to save the whole place, not just the right to deal drugs. Europe, can you give any more information as to what kind of development they plan on doing? Would they make it only residential? This area could be really trendy for the rich if they keep the whole hippie art vibe alive, even if it’s done by filthy rich architects and graphic designers. Out with the old, in with the plastic. If you really consider ’71 being very old. I’d say it is, even though Copenhagen is pretty much ancient, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WebsterUno Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 http://images.bt2.metropol.dk/215/215408/215408_large.jpg'> homina homina homina homina :yum: is that maryjane in those colored tubes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeking Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 yup, it's all prerolled. different colors represent different qualities. it's pretty bananas. walking down the block and theres like 25 different little shacks with dudes all selling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WebsterUno Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 *believe* Originally posted by seeking yup, it's all prerolled. dizzzzam! thats a 'dope' job...rolling dank. So, was it illegal, or legal to sell there? It would seem like it was legal. But the story is saying it was illegal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 Originally posted by Weapon X This area could be really trendy for the rich if they keep the whole hippie art vibe alive, even if it’s done by filthy rich architects and graphic designers. Out with the old, in with the plastic. there's a place in our city where all the hippies lived but now it's a street mall for the super rich. Burn Yorkville! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weapon X Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 I didn’t know that about Yorkville. I’m down for burning that spot, only after I loot the stores. Anyway, I’d rather look at a Louis Vitton purse in the window, rather than a dirty wool/hemp knit rainbow coloured bag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomadawhat Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 Re: *believe* Originally posted by WebsterUno So, was it illegal, or legal to sell there? It would seem like it was legal. But the story is saying it was illegal. IT WAS Illegal..but the government turned a blind eye to it. but someone is breaking the rules by taking those pictures... those no camera signs are pretty damn clear... damn hippies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 yeah... that spot was where all the hippies (the origianl ones) that were going to UofT or Ryerson would hang out. Apparently Neil Young and Joni Mitchell used to play in the cafes there and it this likke hippy utopis. then they got older and got tired of being broke....... so they sold their huts to the man who knew that people on the outside looking in would drop big bucks to get into such a hip little area, and the condos came up. Then all the little shops were replaced by Cartier and Fur shops. That's the cycle. accesible > cool > trendy > exclusive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
!@#$% Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 fuck gentrification. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harry Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 goddamn..that was one cool place to chill on a sunny copenhagen evening..sippin a corona and blazin up your prefered herb..cant beleive its gone.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T.T Boy Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 damn, what a shame. thats too bad it got torn down. it was a cool place to see, even if it was fucking cold as hell. but still, thats terrible, is the big cafe still open? is pirate eye patch guy still there knocking back faxi kondis? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abracadabra Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 R.I.P. PUSHER STREET you'll be sorely missed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abracadabra Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 Originally posted by T.T Boy faxi kondis? hahaha! faxi kondi baby. i loved that shit when i was there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_Europe Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 Okay, here is the deal today. The goverment wants Christianias open sale of soft drugs gone, its too provocative etc. That why they tore down the shacks. They are still selling, now its just out of the pocket or on a little picnic-table or whatever, they are just toning down the visual organisation level. Christiania still believes that hash and weed should be free and legal. You have to be a resident of Christiania to sell shit out there, Christiania has about 900 adult residents and 200 kids. The market is has some internal, unwritten rules that are good and keeps things sorta in check. The goverment is sooo fucked up, theyll legislate a new law before summer 04 and then we will know whats gonna happen with the whole area, its hard to say whats gonna go down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abracadabra Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 Originally posted by Europe its hard to say whats gonna go down. violent protest, ending with rioting and a bit of looting. top that off with the assassination of a few politicians. should be fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weapon X Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 Originally posted by Kilo7- yeah... that spot was where all the hippies (the origianl ones) that were going to UofT or Ryerson would hang out. Apparently Neil Young and Joni Mitchell used to play in the cafes there and it this likke hippy utopis. Oh man, I need to brush on my city’s history. I suppose that certain legendary UofT residence has something to do with that area. I saw a little film clip produced by the Star on the “drug haven” that was the location for several ODs and drug dealing and the sort. Yeah, I need to brush up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weapon X Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 Europe, the way you describe it, it sounds like a social and familial hellhole. I could be wrong – after all I was raised by very conservative people and I ended up just awful – but it does seem odd. Either way, it sounds like people enjoy that spot. They should have a hockey team specific to that area. Chilling at the games would be wild! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_Europe Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 Its a place that allows alot more personal freedom than the rest of society does. A place where the strange, the misfits, the outcast, everyone can be themselves. More info www.christiania.org Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_Europe Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 Originally posted by Mr. ABC hahaha! faxi kondi baby. i loved that shit when i was there Its Faxe Kondi, peep the bottle on the right, next to the handcuffed slut... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HESHIANDET Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 haha, me an seeking have gotten to europe's stone hard ethics. lookit him breaking the rules for the first time. im so proud, i could shed a turr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 Originally posted by Weapon X I suppose that certain legendary UofT residence has something to do with that area. yeah... it was called Roshdale and you got all that zany hippy shit in there. Things like getting high on mescaline and thinking you can fly (from the 20th floor) now it's a condo building for yuppies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weapon X Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 ^^ yes, now I remember. Roshdale. I’d rather live in Rosedale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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