Freetown Christiania: Encyclopedia II - Freetown Christiania - History

Freetown Christiania - History

Christiania was founded in 1971, when a group of hippie squatters took over an area of abandoned military barracks. One of the more influential people was Jacob Ludvigsen, who published an anarchist newspaper, which widely announced the proclamation of the free town. For years the legal status of the region was in limbo, as the Danish government attempted, without success, to remove the squatters. Later, a biker gang took control of the area for a period of time.

The neighbourhood is accessible only through two main entrances, and cars are not allowed. The Danish authorities have repeatedly removed the large stones blocking the entrance and the residents have put them back. The authorities claim that they need access to the area due for firefighting, but the residents suspect that it will instead be used by the police.

The people in Christiania have developed their own set of rules, completely independent of the Danish government. Having no cars is one of these rules. The rules also include: No stealing, No Guns, No Bulletproof Vests, and No Hard Drugs.

Famous for its main drag, known as Pusher Street, where hash was sold openly from permanent stands until 2004, it nevertheless does have rules forbidding hard drugs, such as heroin and cocaine. The commerce is controversial, but since they require a consensus they can't be removed unless everybody agrees. The region negotiated an arrangement with the Danish defence ministry (which still owns the land) in 1995, and the residents now pay taxes. The future of the area remains in doubt, though, as Danish authorities continue to push for its removal. On Pusher Street, cameras are not allowed, and locals will wave their hands and shout "no photo!" if they see someone trying to take a picture.

The inhabitants fight the government's attempts to eliminate them with humour and persistence. For instance, when authorities in 2002 demanded that the hash trade be made less visible, the stands were covered in military camouflage nets. On January 4, 2004, the stands were finally demolished by the owners themselves (without stopping the hash trade, which continued on a person-to-person basis) as a way of persuading the government to allow the Free Town to continue to exist. Before they were demolished, the National Museum of Denmark was able to get one of the more colourful stands, which is now part of an exhibit.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "History", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki