We shall NOT be normalised!!
The Danish government wants to normalise a society, an entire neighbourhood of the city of Copenhagen. Christiania has since during the last 32 years been a social and cultural oasis in the centre of Copenhagen. Here, on the old fortresses of Christians Harbour, people chose to occupy the old military camp, building a community of living, production, culture, loving and inventing.

This text is mainly about L 205, which is a parliamentary bill to normalize Christiania, made by the Danish government.
What is so special about Christiania is the idea that no one decides over anyone else, and that everybody has the opportunity to influence decisions. This is an idea that is considered outdated by the Danish government. Now they want to cut up the valuable area, divide it and sell it to the highest bidder, turning it in to yet another rich-mans ghetto beyond the economy of all but the well off.

From collective to markets dictates
The L 205 bill is being debated in the Danish government at the moment. The government is counting on it passing with the help of Dansk Folkeparti, the Danish extreme nationalist party. In short it can be explained in three fazes. It is constructed to be a sly makeover from collective governing and self management, to a cultural mainstreaming and selling off homes at commercial market value.

L 205 –in small fazes
-The first faze starts the 15th of June 2004 when the bill is passed. Its provisions state that before the 1st of January 2005 all the Christianianites have to have registered their individual right of using with the state. If they don’t register themselves they might loose their homes. If this faze is completed, it would destroy Christiania’s fundamental idea of self management where the right of using is given at the common meetings that is open to all Christianianites. After this the defence minister has until the 1st of January 2006 to accept or deny the right of using.

-The second faze starts the 1st of January 2005 with the ”legalizing” of Christiania. Christiania’s social experiment and alternative lifestyle will be controlled and subdued. It means that homes will be torn down and new ”normal” buildings, that are in accordance to all laws and regulations, will be built instead. This also means that all the unique buildings on the embankments will be demolished.

-The third faze, starting the 1st of January 2006 will be when Christiania will pass into private ownership, and the ”normal” real estate market will reside. The land will then have been divided, regulations and buildings will be ”normalized” and the whole area will be ready to be sold. The state will set the price that the Christianianites then will have to accept if they want to keep their homes. Christiania will then become, like the rest of the society, a place where money dictates the lives of people. The houses that the Christianianites cannot afford to buy will then be sold at market value. We will witness, as we have with urban renewals so many times before, a purging of the poor.

L 205 will normalize Christiania, eradicate self management, relocate people and sterilize our free space. Christiania will become just like any other neighboorhood in Copenhagen. The way it looks now, about 800 people will be forced to move. The truth is that Christiania is a beautiful area that is very attractive for entrepreurs that have finished their work privatising most of the other attractive costal areas of Copenhagen. If L 205 is passed, Denmark will have lost their greatest symbol of tolerance and open-mindedness, and the world will have lost yet another struggle against the lower human instincts of greed and supression.

The Danish government is, with this bill, continuing its attack on collective rights, cultural initiatives and any kind of alternative lifestyle. Christiania is a symbol of freedom, and is an ongoing experiment for alternative solutions and expressions. At the same time it is a very unique free space for Danes and people from all over the world.

The Initiative to Defend Christiania

-Is a very diverse group consisting of people living in, using or having sympathy for Christiania. The initiative is organizing and coordinating activities against the L 205. The activities are based on creativity, culture and pluralism.

-The Initiative has open meetings every Wednesday at 6 pm in Byens Lys in Christiania. Everyone is welcome to come with ideas and suggestions. Or just bring your self, your energy and curiosity!
We have a have mailinglist where we send out the newest updates on the situation and the announce activities.
Send an email to  info@forsvarchristiania.dk with the subject “english info”