The mayor of the Danish capital warned that while open trade in cannabis, hash and other soft drugs are tolerated by Christiania (an autonomous region within Copenhagen), it could all end if they don’t do something to clean things up.
Copenhagen Lord Mayor Sophie Haestorp Andersen, told the local newspaper Ekstra Bladet in Danish that she would shut down drug and cannabis trade if violence continued to grow.
According to of The Guardian, Andersen has threatened that she will shut down the drug business on Pusher Street if 1,000 people or more living in Christiania comply with the plan.
Christiania, or Freetown Christiania located in Christianshavn in Copenhagen’s borough of Christianshavn has been Denmark’s “Green Light district” since the 1970s. Imagine it like a mini-Amsterdam, with similar canals and architectural features and tolerant tolerance for soft drugs and marijuana.
In 1973, the Badsmandsstraede base of the Amager island was converted into a community with its own autonomous government. In 1973, hippies and anarchists created a Social Democratic Government structure, and the area became a “social experiment”. The area is now known as Christiania.
Pusher street has been a place where cannabis, or “hash” as it is known in Europe, was openly sold since 1980. This is the reason why there’s a no-photos rule. The organized crime has ruined the idyllic picture and the area is no longer the utopia that it once was.
Andersen said to Ekstra Bladet, “The crime and violence around Pusher street has reached a level that we cannot or do not want to address.” In Copenhagen, we need to make room for Christiania. This is a skewed, alternative view. It’s creative. “But this brutal, organized violence around Christiania must be banished from the future.”
On October 26th, a 23-year old man was killed by a bullet in Christiania. The area had been experiencing a spate of violent crimes. Some have compared it to a attack on 2009. Hulda Mder, the spokesperson for the Christiania area, said that they were afraid the situation would develop into a “gang war”.
Andersen has warned she is no longer playing games. The message I want to send is that, if Christianites are willing to replace Pusher Street with another street and close it down completely, we at the Municipality of Copenhagen will be ready to help put together a plan.
Christiania hash traders moved their business from the original location on Pusher street to the main entrance of the city after the October incident. Mader declared, “Enough!” We have resigned from our responsibility of what happens on Pusher Street. We as individuals cannot oppose it. We are concerned about the dangers of continuing violence.
The Christiania Secretariat is run by Housing and Social Affairs Agency, which owns and operates the Christiania ramparts.
Soon, a joint dialogue between Foundation Fristaden Christiania and Copenhagen Municipality will take place. All groups regularly meet. Technical and Environmental Management in Copenhagen Municipality will work with Foundation Fristaden Christiania to develop the public housing in Christiania.
The article Denmark’s open hash trade under threat on ‘Pusher street’ first appeared on High Times.
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