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Post by Kevo on Oct 13, 2006 11:26:07 GMT
Ungdomshuset is a self-governed activist run house, situated in Copenhagen Denmark. It was given to the squatter movement in 1982 – one of the only demands that the movement achieved; a free space to house all the people that didn’t fit into public institutions and commercial venues.
Since then, for now 23 years, the house has been the base of a thousand different activities such as DIY concerts, grass root benefits, soup kitchens, debates/meetings, an info shop, rehearsal rooms and much more…
Ungdomshuset is the only house of its kind in Denmark and the loss of Ungdomshuset would be fatal for the Danish, and especially Copenhagen radical left wing scene and DIY music network. More than 500 different people use the house on a weekly basis and thousands of people use the house for concerts and other arrangements every year.
In 2001 the house was sold to a right wing fundamental Christian sect, “The house of the father”, and early next year they are expecting to go to court for the second time to decide who has the right to use the house. If things don’t go their way, an eviction attempt can be expected within 3 or 4 months.
“We hope to have your support and see you on the barricades next to us if the shit goes down!”
Inspired by the energy and creativity of Ungdomshuset, we, ‘Irish Friends of Ungdomshuset’, feel that the states attempted eviction of it is an attack upon all people who struggle to find autonomous solutions to this culture and society of conformity and intolerance.
Cities all over the world are faced with the problem of a lack of space to create their own culture. Dublin is no exception! People continue to struggle against the increasing control and commercialisation of the city. Through the creation and reclaiming of public space we attempt to explore and develop both social and cultural alternatives.
This is currently happening in the city in many ways, including community gardens, squatting, social centres and arts groups.
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Post by Kevo on Oct 13, 2006 11:49:57 GMT
 Copenhagen's youth flex their muscles as politicians ask for negotiations Police have reported a wave of vandalism in solidarity with Ungdomshuset Since the announcement of the verdict on Monday, the normally quiet Copenhagen scene has seen a whirlwind of activity. On Monday a general assembly of several hundred people met to discuss the situation. The news of the occupation of the Danish embassy in Oslo by activists from the Blitz social centre was greeted by cheers as the assembly vowed to continue the fight by all possible means,. That evening new graffiti sprung up, several banks were smashed and dumpsters set alight. The next day, a group of twenty Ungdomshuset pirates occupied an old military fort in Copenhagen's harbour. On Tuesday evening, the local politicians invited Ungdomshuset to begin negotiations on Thursday night, Ungdomshuset will attend but the actions continued nevertheless. That night, as torrential rains swept the streets of Norrebro, a mobile street party/demonstration clashed with the police in several locations. Arrestees were treated to the bizarre spectacle of an ongoing disco party in Bellahoj police station ('Let's hear it for the lay-deez..'). On Wednesday morning a text message went around inviting people to an impromptu street party deep in the city's commercial district. A broken boom-box meant that the party soon dissipitated, but as we left we encountered the police marching band engaged in a promotion for a local newspaper. A few phonecalls to other party-goers meant that the police march was turned into a demonstration for Ungdomshuset, as the immaculately dressed police corps were followed down the shopping streets by about 50 punks chanting 'En to tre fire, Ungdomshuset er og blir!' That evening saw a huge attendance at the weekly soup kitchen (the people's favourite tofu lasagna) followed by a concert with a touring death metal band from Lebanon, business as usual for Ungdomshuset. This morning, the police have reported a wave of vandalism over the past few days around Copenhagen in solidarity with Ungdomshuset, with attacks on city hall, banks and police cars. Behind all these spectacular events there is another layer of activity; the basement has been transformed into a workshop for the barricade group as they prepare Ungdomshuset's defences to withstand an eviction attempt. In the office, the press group give interviews and write press releases, and the campaign group meet to discuss the negotiations. As Ungdomshuset prepares to sit down with the politicians, the past week of activity has shown more accurately than any press release what Ungdomshuset is all about; the massive creative potential that young people have when they have the possibility to express it. ^Indymedia^ From the beginning of the RTS party there was a massive police presence which followed the group from both sides and eventually blocking the demonstration. The group then turned in another direction, after which the still cheerful and peaceful protesters were blocked in and attacked. It was at this point that masked activists built up barricades and threw stones and bottles at the police. During the confrontation police behaved very aggressively, driving people in alleyways where they were beaten, and driving their vehicles at high speeds into barricades. Even though corporate media claim it was the activists who started the riots, it was clearly the police who provoked the aggression, and initiated the conflict. Today's riot has been the most severe in Denmark for the last six years. Problems for Ungdomshuset started years ago, but have intensified in the past 2 years when local authorities sold the place to a fundamentalist Christian organisation, which wants to make use of the place. The court cases on this issue are almost at an end, with an expectation that Ungdomshuset will be evicted, and lost to the community that uses it. Last weekend Copenhagen was the scene of huge protests and activities against the threatened closure of the autonomous cultural centre. Yesterday over 3000 people were protesting in a peaceful demonstration, which went from Christiania to Ungdomshuset. This has been the largest solidarity action in Copenhagen for Ungdomshuset. Friday saw more than 2000 people visiting a festival at Ungdomshuset, staging bands, dj's, and artistic spectacles. Reclaim the streets: Eye wittness acount Sunday, Sep 24 2006 I'm an activist from Denmark who participated in a Reclaim The Streets party for ungdomshuset (The Youth House). I have used ungdomshuset for a few years as a place for great parties and cool atmosphere. I hate the fact that christian fundamentalists are to take it over and i've been to many protests supporting the place. None of them like the one today. None of them escalating to this degree of violence. At the beginning of this protest we started from Skt. Hans Torv where the sound van came in and kicked the party alive. We were with about 500 protesters but many people joined in when they saw the cool partying. Noone wore masks or did anything provocative towards the police present. Then the party started moving in the direction of the inner city. The day before we had a great protest walking all the way through town with a nice atmosphere the whole way and no confrontations of any kind. Because of that noone anticipated any troubles. However as soon as we went to cross the bridge leading to the inner city the police massively blocked the road standing in riot gear and using armored cars. This of course scared the protesters a little bit, standing in front of what looked like an army ready to charge. The speakervan informed people that they should stay calm and that this didn't affect the party. The party then simply unfolded itself on the bridge. A lot of people seemed to have joined in on the protest. People were handing out sandwiches and the sunny weather only hightened the mood. The police didnt seem to want to start any trouble even though they occasionally drove their cars back and forth a little bit. After an hour or so the demo decided to walk back the way it came. The police then started to drive their cars into the crowd pushing it along. This was ofcourse a bit provocative but soon after we lost them and walked through some of the smaller roads near another bridge into the inner city. As soon as we got near another bridge two police drove angrily near the demo and riot cops jumped out of the vans. Then they charged the crowd with their batons. A few people threw whatever bottles they had at the officers but most just ran away. This triggered a series of attacks from all sides where the police charged with batons penning people into a little street called Rantzausgade. Me and a friend just saw a hole in their formation and jumped out through the police. We could then see police charging the penned in people who werent fast enough to run away with batons from all sides beating and kicking people unable to move. This crowd was later mass arrested. Note that as far as i could see this crowd consisted solely of protesters from the demo who didn't run fast enough. The ones who actually did throw stuff at the police were mostly able to run away in time. This police assault triggered a lot of anger in many of the protesters. At first some tried to charge down a side street near the police pen but the police hid in their armored cars which didn't have much trouble from of the hail of rocks being thrown at them. Then people started building barricades in the streets close to the police pen and hurled rocks at the police cars as they passed through. The police then drove their armoured vans at a very high speed through the crowd forcing people to literally jump for their lives. Had anyone tripped or fallen there was no way the vans would have been able to stop in time. This of course angered people even more and some local youths decided to join in the fighting as well. Though some attempts were made people were unable to free their comrades. However some of the people penned in for a mass arrest kicked down a gate to a backyard an managed to escape that way. After an hour or so the riots died out. This has been the worst riots in denmark and as far as i've seen its solely due to provocative police behavior. Had the protest been allowed to go on i don't think anything violent would have happened. The riots looked improvised and unorganised. Far more importantly the use of armored police vans as battering rams is clearly a disrespect for peoples lives! Had anyone been run over i'd never forgive them. These riots are a small taste of whats to come if a solution is not found. There is no way the house will be given up without a fight! Banner drop from danish embassy in dublin.http://video.indymedia.org/en/2006/09/473.shtml              |
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Post by Cian on Nov 26, 2006 16:31:43 GMT
well maybe if the protests were peaceful they cud talk other than acting like handicaps and startin riots
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Post by Barry on Nov 26, 2006 19:26:11 GMT
Did you read any of that?
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Post by Kevo on Dec 6, 2006 22:56:38 GMT
well maybe if the protests were peaceful they cud talk other than acting like handicaps and startin riots It pains me how stupid your post is. |
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Post by kevinkav on Dec 7, 2006 2:30:31 GMT
"After an hour or so the demo decided to walk back the way it came. The police then started to drive their cars into the crowd pushing it along. This was ofcourse a bit provocative but soon after we lost them and walked through some of the smaller roads near another bridge into the inner city. As soon as we got near another bridge two police drove angrily near the demo and riot cops jumped out of the vans. Then they charged the crowd with their batons. A few people threw whatever bottles they had at the officers but most just ran away. This triggered a series of attacks from all sides"
According to this person Cian,the police started it.
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Post by Kevo on Dec 8, 2006 12:45:09 GMT
I wish i had money saved it would be well worh going to copenhagen for the eviction on the 14th,
UNGDOMSHUSET STAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by Kevo on Dec 8, 2006 13:08:39 GMT
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Post by Bob Himself on Dec 10, 2006 21:43:42 GMT
They're really not doing themselves any favours in that video. I'm sure they played nicely into the hands of the media and right-wing propaganda.
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Post by kevinkav on Dec 10, 2006 21:51:07 GMT
I agree. I also questioned the fact that it was caled "police violence" when the group of protesters started throwing paint at that builidng,although I do not in any way condone what I saw from the police (or as they call them 'politi'....yes!)
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Post by Kevo on Dec 10, 2006 23:56:13 GMT
ah well its all going down on the 14th nothing more can be done they just have to defend there home and theres people from all over the world travelling there to help them
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Post by Kevo on Dec 13, 2006 11:58:43 GMT
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Post by Robbie on Dec 13, 2006 14:22:32 GMT
I must say I LOLed when i saw the text "See you at the barricades...For the Final Battle". Ya'd swear it was the lord of the rings.
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Post by kevinkav on Dec 13, 2006 15:07:11 GMT
hahah,stawp.
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Post by Barry on Dec 13, 2006 20:05:18 GMT
LOLed? The fuck?
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Post by kevinkav on Dec 13, 2006 23:48:07 GMT
I know,he laughed out loud!
Anyway,tomorrow is D-day for 'em...interesting to see how things will pan out.
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Post by jimmy on Dec 16, 2006 1:47:19 GMT
jesus he laughed out loud...ed, where have you been for the last five years? |
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Post by kevinkav on Dec 16, 2006 2:24:26 GMT
So what happened in the end?!+
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Post by kevinkav on Dec 16, 2006 2:27:05 GMT
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Post by Kevo on Dec 20, 2006 12:15:49 GMT
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