cannabisnews.com: Denmark Enclave Tears Down Hashish Stands Denmark Enclave Tears Down Hashish Stands Posted by CN Staff on January 04, 2004 at 09:56:27 PT By Jan M. Olsen, Associated Press Writer Source: Associated Press Copenhagen, Denmark -- Residents and hashish dealers who have openly bought and sold illegal drugs in Copenhagen's famed hippie enclave Christiania for decades demolished their booths Sunday to avoid a crackdown they fear would lead to their eviction. The government wants to build upscale housing in the 84-acre area, a former naval barracks that is now a community of about 1,000 people. The government and Danes have been calling for a crackdown on the area's drug sales, which have long been tolerated by police. The booths were burned in a bonfire on the grounds of the old naval fort. Using a tractor, crowbars, saws and hammers, dealers and residents tore down the two dozen colorful booths that have stood along the sparsely paved but well-traveled Pusher Street for years. ``We don't want (Pusher Street) to be a lever for the government's illegal and amoral plans to close our Christiania,'' the residents said in a statement. 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 navy 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 cops. In 1987, Christiania was recognized as a ``social experiment'' and in 1989 the government gave residents the right to use the land, though 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 promised to end the open sale of hashish and ``normalize'' the area by rebuilding. Hashish is illegal in Denmark, but sales in Christiania have been tolerated. Christianites banned hard drugs in 1980. However, in recent months, police have increased the number of raids to stop the drug deals and residents have been split over eliminating the sales completely. Police estimate that illegal hashish sales bring the community at least 8 million kroner (US$1.3 million) every year. The decision to tear down the booth came after a discussion among Christianites, said Pernille Hansen, a Christiania spokeswoman, adding she didn't think the sale of hashish there would end. Police said they would monitor sales there. Source: Associated Press Author: Jan M. Olsen, Associated Press Writer Published: January 4, 2004Copyright: 2004 The Associated Press Related Articles:End is Nigh for Commune That Kept Dream Alivehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18016.shtmlProtest To Preserve Denmark's Hippy Enclavehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17190.shtmlPoliticians Lay Siege To Copenhagen Hippies http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16462.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #9 posted by ekim on January 04, 2004 at 17:33:59 PT Debate today Dennis only voice for Hope not Fear http://www.kucinich.us/Packed Benefit Concert Shines Light on Dennis 1/4/2003 Last night a sell-out crowd experienced an all-American cast of musicians rocking the Music Hall in Austin, Texas for a benefit supporting the Kucinich campaign for President.Willie Nelson, a five time Grammy winner performed his powerful new single, "What Ever Happened to Peace on Earth" for the first time for the crowd of over 4,000. In addition, Willie donated a signed copy of the original lyrics written on Christmas Day 2003 and Pat Simmons of the Doobie Brothers donated a guitar signed by each performer and Dennis to be auctioned off for the the campaign. At times the crowd was moved to tears, sometimes laughter, and often times moved by a sense of American patriotism by poignant songs and comments by the stars on stage. The cheering crowd clapped and sang along as Dennis joined Tim Reynolds, Michelle Shocked, Tish Hinojusa, Pat Simmons, eight time Grammy winner Bonnie Raitt, and Willie Nelson on stage for the finale of the nearly three hour concert. http://www.kucinich.us/Leap events: to see place near you. Book a speaker. http://www.leap.cc/events/events.php [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by The GCW on January 04, 2004 at 16:22:21 PT A must do POLL! Which of the following Democratic Presidential candidates do you support?http://www.dailyiowan.com/Carol Moseley Braun (1%) Wesley Clark (14%) Howard Dean (42%) John Edwards (2%) Dick Gephardt (2%) John Kerry (23%) Dennis Kucinich (11%) Joe Lieberman (1%) Al Sharpton (2%) Undecided (2%) &In case You haven't heard: Democratic Presidential nominee, Dennis Kucinich, put in writing that as PRESIDENT He WILL: "DECRIMINALIZE MARIJUANA" -"in favor of a drug policy that sets reasonable boundaries for marijuana use by establishing guidelines similar to those already in place for alcohol." (POSTED ON His website!) http://www.kucinich.us/issues/marijuana_decrim.php http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17917.shtml [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by Virgil on January 04, 2004 at 16:06:28 PT 60 Minutes- adhering to mandatory sentences 60 Minutes on CBS will have a segment on the push for sticking the tough mandatory sentences to the victims of the WOD [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Arthropod on January 04, 2004 at 15:45:15 PT: Dobbs I live near Cincinnati, and read the Enquirer every once in a while. I wonder how the author could possibly back up her claims that the crime rates would be higher than ever if there were either no drug laws or a set of regulations instead of criminal punishments. If there is no law against possession of cannabis, then it is not a crime. If possession is not a crime, arrests in the United States would go down tremendously seeing as how most of the people in jail that I know of are in for possession or sale of one drug or another. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on January 04, 2004 at 14:55:04 PT Anyone else see this one? "War On Drugs Is Worth Supporting", a guest editorial... yeah. http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/01/03/editorial_bytendorp.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by goneposthole on January 04, 2004 at 13:27:09 PT history repeats itself again and again Bonus Bill 209 was Hoover's undoing with help from MacArthur, Eisenhower and Patton. US veterans were forcibly removed from the Mall in Washington, DC. There is nothing new under the sun.Hoovervilles were like Christiania:http://wappingersschools.org/JohnJayHS/students/ap/ap33/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by drfistusa on January 04, 2004 at 13:19:06 PT Pusher Street was amazing experience For the first time I saw stands or tables in the open like a farmers market for cannabis and supplies. So many stands so many choices. So I got some hash from the most beautiful Danish girl I saw. 1 or 2 gm. packages in one bowl, Kroner coins in the other, throw the coins in the bowl and take your package. No crime problems, money out in the open! Go over to a park bench, pub or stone wall and smoke up. One day at the entrance of an organic Food Fair, next door they had free BIG joints they were giving out, I sat on a straw bail and smoked with an old Danish hippy, watching 3 or 4 policement about 30 ft. away talking to some of the people with the pot plants,(wanted them to go home) pro cannabis banners, and free joints. So a new first for me after years of fear in the U.S. On that day was magic. Hundreds of people including Students from Sweden that come over on the ferry for the experience. To me Christiana is the experiment or example , that open Sales of Cannabis not only up grades an area, keeping profits in the community and NO crime, just people living a mellow day. No problems, unless the politicians make them. It was too good, proved the point too well, so they had to Kill it. they will just deal in the pubs now as they also did then. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by kaptinemo on January 04, 2004 at 10:26:25 PT: A prediction: It won't make a difference I've never been there, and am never likely to, but the pattern behind what's happening is all too common. Very powerful commercial interests want the land...and they are using the government, under the rubric of "Get rid of the dirty hippies and their dope smoking!" to do so.A lot like what's happening here, with oil companies beating the war drum to invade Iraq, no?Tearing down the stalls will mean nothing; no matter how discrete the dealing is from now on, no matter how careful the citizens of Christiania are in avoiding any offense to the government, the hash dealing will *still* be used as the call for exercising what is commonly referred to as 'eminent domain' (government theft any way you slice it) over property within it's borders will cause Christiania to be bulldozed.Two steps forward, one step back: every time the people make inroads against one form of fascism or another, the corp-rat Powers-That-Be shove back...hard. And they always use the cloak of government to hide their thuggery. Christiania's fate is perfect example. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by BGreen on January 04, 2004 at 10:13:30 PT Maybe They Should Build A Big Liquor Store 20 years of playing in clubs has left me with a pretty bad impression about drunken idiots. They've spilt their drinks on my equipment, caused fights and are generally an embarrassment to everybody except other drunks.I guess that's why the cops and politicians accept the inherent right to use this poison.The Reverend Bud Green [ Post Comment ] Post Comment