Ungdomshuset eviction protests - News from 4th day (English translation from Modkraft.dk)
Sunday 4th March
23:03
Modkraft thanks you for today. It is calm at Norrebro. Despite the lack of street lights, traffic is
starting to return to normal. There is thick fog over most of central Copenhagen and Modkraft has not
heard of any protest groups.
We return tomorrow and cover among other things a "noise demo" outside Vestre Prison.
22:18
The danish consulate in Bergen, Norway, has been graffiti'd. "Ungdomshuset will never surrender. Free
places everywhere" has been written in large letters and "69" has been sprayed over the consulate
sign. This is the second the time the consulate has been painted on -
in December "Ungern blir" was written on the wall of the building.
There have been solidarity demos as far away as New Zealand, where a group of activists with roots in
Denmark, Isreal, USA and New Zealand held a small action in a town called Nelson.
They were also interviewed on the radio.
20:06
Sources from Ungdomshuset say the police are arresting people if they have SMS messages about new
demonstrations on their mobile phones.
20:06
The demonstration has reached Folkets Park on Stengade. People have started to leave the park.
19:44
The demonstration has now moved down along Peblingesoen and is heading across Dronning Louise's Bridge
towards Norrebro. The demonstration has been agreed with the police. There are about 200 people marching.
19:22
The work on Jagtvej 69 is continuing. A group called "The group against the demolition
of Jagtvej 69" writes that there are trucks taking away garbage from the house.
The group is encouraging activists to find out which companies working on the house
19:18
After a very pacifistic speech at Raadhuspladsen, the demonstration is moving towards Norrebro.
The end destination is Folkets Park in Stengade at Inner Norrebro.
19:07
A new demonstration has begun in Raadhuspladsen in Copenhagen. The speeches have started and there's a
banner saying "Flowers not cobblestones". There are about 100 people present. A lot of the
participants from the former cycling demo seem to have gone home or are warming up elsewhere because
they're cold.
19:03
Niels Folschack tells Politiken.dk that Fonden Jagtvej 69 (the fund that's been offering to buy a new
building for Ungeren) will now take the initative to buy a new house.
He says that this decision will not necessarily involve the young people
from Ungdomshuset. "They had the key to the solution when they were still at Jagtvej 69. Now we have the
key", he tells Politiken. He would like to consult the young people, but that their possibilities to set
demands are significantly less now. "They need a place where they can control their own lives. Ours is
a visionless society where there is no room for that", he continues.
More in Politiken http://politiken.dk/indland/article257188.ece.
18:50
On Sunday morning the police searched the youth organisation Rod Ungdom's building in Norre Alle.
According to
Modkraft's sources, there was no one present when the police kicked the door in. Before they left
the police screwed the door back on with only three screws.
18:41
The cycling demo has now reached Raadhuspladsen and the number of demonstrators has decreased. A source
present says there are about 200 people still there.
18:11
A demonstration at Raadhuspladsen starting at 19:00 has been announced via SMS. The SMS encourages people
to meet up with "good mood and lovely flowers". The demonstartion is aimed at
a peaceful solution and reminds people "flowers - not cobblestones".
18:05
An activist has announced over speakerphone that the cycling demonstration will now go to Raadhuspladsen,
where it will join another demo that starts at 19:00. The police have left Fredensgade, and the
demonstration is moving into town.
17:56
The critical mass is moving down Blegdamsvej. Three of the police vans were blocking the road, but when the
demonstrators insisted on going that way, refusing to go elsewhere, the police vans moved.
More demonstrators have joined.
By Fredensgade/Tagensvej the police have blocked the demo with several police vans and officers.
There are now police vans in front and at the back of the cyclists. It does not seem like the police are
going to let the demonstrators continue to Norrebro.
17:50
Sources at Ungdomshuset informs us that workers have started to remove asbestos from Ungdomshuset at
Jagtvej 69. They are wearing white protective suits. According to modkraft's source, the workers took a group
picture infront of the building before the work started. The workers are apparently polish.
17:40
The cycling demo har reached Kartoffelraekkerne, where mayor Ritt Bjerregaard lives. The demonstration is
moving slowly. It is clear that many people are aware this is where the mayor lives, and they are sure she
can hear the demo if she is home.
17:25
The cycling demo has now reached Norreport and is continuing down Frederiksborggade. They are not going t
Norrebro, but are turning down Osterbro. Protestors are shouting slogans such as "1 2 3 4
Ungdomhuset er og bli'r"
17:14
The critical mass is now moving down Aaboulevarden. The atmosphere is still good and people are shouting
slogans. There are now around 400 people participating.
17:06
The demonstration from Vesterbro Torv started moving towards Raadhuspladsen. There's about 150 participents
in the cycling demonstration and it is not clear where they're moving to. The tradition for critical mass is
the cyclists infront decide the route.
16:59
The critical mass demo has gathered at Vesterbro Torv. There is around 100 people. The police are
visibly present with motorcycle officers. Sources there say the atmosphere is good.
16:58
70 to 80 protesters showed up in Trondheim to support Ungdomshuset this afternoon. The demonstration
was arranged by Ungdom for Fri Aktivitet. UFFA and Svartlamo'n blocked traffic on Trondheim's streets
but let through public transport. The demonstration went to the Danish consulate where there were
speeches. There will be another demo next Saturday at 15:00, also at the Danish Consulate. More info at
http://uffahus.org
15:53
Organised support for Ungdomshuset takes many forms and shapes. Saturday afternoon a group of
"swingstormers" started dancing at Kultorbet close to Norreport station. They danced between
17:00 and 19:00. "We had a really good time but it was cold enough", one of the participants said.
Swingstorm is a new invented word which describes dancing in the street. The swingstormers wrote in
their press release that they dance in sympathy with Ungdomhuset, but not for the activists' methods.
The swingstormers are an extension from the Swingpgattere from the second world war. See photos
at http://www.flickr.com/photos/7157964@N05/?saved=1
15:25
The world press's eyes are resting on Copenhagen and Norrebro. BBC's homepage has several
articles and are paying close attention to the situation. The German newspaper Der Spiegel are showing
several pictures of the riots at Sankt Hans Torv on their homepage. There are photos of molotovs
being thrown at police as they come out of their vans - http://www.spiegel.de/videoplayer/0,6298,16579,00.html
On the home mediafront, ModKraft.dk had no less that 37,000 visitors during Saturday. Since the clearing
of Ungdomshuset Modkraft has had 4.3 million hits.
14:46
The little mermarid was painting pink yesterday. The police did not know whether this was in connection
with Ungdomhuset. See picture here - http://sydsvenskan.se/varlden/article222204.ece
14:39
Saturday night was calm compared to the first two nights after clearing Ungdomshuset, but
riots spread last night and there were new fires in town. At the border
between outer Norrebro and Frederiksberg, a car was set on fire under Bispeengbuen.
Sources say the police turned up quickly and extinquished it. The activists got away. In
Tingbjerg containers and bins were set on fire. Six police vans with officers in riot gear and a bulldozer
appeared to put out the blaze.
13:44
There are several activities to support Ungdomshuset happening today. In Vesterbro Kulturhus'
Cafe activists will make peaceful art and culture actions. The plan is to give the gift to Copenhagen
council, because "Copenhagen council do not have enough, so it feels it needs to steal what
is even given to the young people". They are encouraging street musicians, artists and peace lovers to
gather and "react peacefully to the aburd situation that has been afflicted on the young and the
culture". This starts at the cafe on Lyrskovsgade at 15:00.
A critical mass will leave Vesterbros Torv on bikes at 16:45.
13:05
In northern Germany, specifically Kiel, there were solidarity demos for Ungdomshuset
last night. Late at night about 120 people walked through town and there were speeches in the city's
shopping street and at the station. Activists at the city say there is a larger demonstration planned
for Monday.
12:52
Officers that were searching activists and the painting studio Spetakel 14 had an opportunity for
an art experience yesterday. A user of the studio says that the police openly looked through
poems and broke into a cupboard containing paintings - but the police didn't find
anything. Two to three locks have been broken and all cupboards have been searched through.
Spetakel 14 is an activists and art space on Nyropsgade in inner Copenhagen, close to
the lakes.
12:25
Ungdomhuset Blitz in Oslo had a concert in support with its sister house Ungdomshuset. A source
in the house says there are a lot of appeals and massive support for Ungdomshuset. 2000kr was raised
for the ABC (Anarchist Black Cross).
12:22
Sources say that Ritt Bjerregaard and Klaus Bondam have been observed at Elmegade at inner Norrebro.
12:21
The two neighbour groups Sammenslutningen Norrebro and Neighbours at Norrebro have combined. Both
groups are very critical of Ungdomshuset. Sammenslutningen Norrebro came together to prevent Ungdomshuset
from moving to Stevnsgade School, and Neighbours at Norrebro started because of conflicts with
Ungdomshuset. The groups had formerly been divided due to internal disagreements. They are now joining
together "in protest against the last days destruction at Norrebro", they're saying in a press release.
12:07
Anarchist Black Cross (ABC) write in an email that they're continuing their work. The group says they have
a view over who's been arrested, but have tough working conditions. "None of the arrested will be forgotten".
ABC encourage families and friends to write letters to those arrested. The persons full name and birthdate
needs to be on the letter and send to Postboks 701, 2450 Kobenhavn SV. "We're completely overworked but
are continuing". More information can be found on their homepage - http://www.blackcross.dk
11:55
The demonstration for Ungdomshuset in Trondheim starts at 15:00.
11:52
Ungdomshuset shall be torn down. The decision has been made but will be publicly announced at a press
conference on Tuesday, reports Politiken. Workers have started moving asbestos from the building in
preparation.
10:44
Modkraft are again following the events of Ungdomhuset at JagtVej 69 minute for minute.
News from Saturday and Friday