Ungdomshuset demolition - News from 5th day after eviction (English translation from Modkraft.dk)
Monday 5th March
23:24
Modkraft is closing for today. Everything seems to be calm at Norrebro, even though the demolition work
continues. A neighbour writes that he can finally see the night's sky directly over Ungdomshuset.
New activites are planned for tomorrow and of course Modkraft will cover them. We have already mentioned a
couple of the events. There will be a solidarty action tomorrow in New York at the Danish consulate at
noon local time.
If you can't get enough of Ungdomshuset this evening and tonight, Copenhagen's local tv station TV-TV will
be talking about city gardens and environmental activism between 23:00 and 23:30. This was recorded in
the Ungdomshuset garden last spring.
At Aero on Sunday local activist took to the streets. They placed a banner up at the harbour in Sobe -
"There will always be need for differences".
21:47
A street party is being planned for Tuesday. The organisers, calling themselves "Ungdomshus now", wrote in a
press release that "since the clearing of ungdomshuset the public space has created a frame for well deserved
anger and frustration". The group will now arrange "a musical and colourful street party in protest
against the demolition of Ungdomshuset".
It takes place Tuesday 6th of march at 16:00 at norreport station. The event has not been announced to the
police because they believe that one should not have to ask for permission to be in your own town. They are
expecting the police to keep a respectful distance.
21:17
The wide variety of inventive activities for Ungdomshuset has expanded to getting drunk today.
A group that calles themselves "Drunk for Ungdomshuset" says that they will drink for a "just world".
The group writes that they will
drink with everyone because "the more drinking there is, the more it will help". More on their homepage
http://drukforfred.nu/ungdomshuset/
21:05
Your support for ungdomshuset and free culture can now be shown via the internet.
A group has taken the iniative to create an online petition where you can encourage Copenhagen council to
"represent all young people and those that don't quite fit in".
The petition is not condoning violence. You can sign the petition here - www.mangfoldighed.underskrifter.dk
20:45
The demolition is quick and continues into the dark hours, a neighbour to ungdomshuset informs us.
The police are guarding all the roads that lead towards ungdomshuset and are checking everyone.
20:36
A solidarity demo in Aalborg today was threatened by rightwing hooligans. About 100 young people had gathered at
16:00 at Nytorv in Aalborg to demonstrate in solidarity with Ungdomshuset and to demand a user controlled
autonomous ungdomshus in Aalborg. Half of the demonstrators seemed to be of highschool age.
50 meters from the demo a group of 10 to 15 people from a right wing hooligan group were watching the demo closely.
When the demo passed the trainstation the hooligans began to act threateningly but were driven away by
civilian police.
When the demo finished at Gammeltorv the hooligans were waiting for them, creating worry amongst the younger protesters.
The few police that were present stood between the demo and the hooligans. The demo slowly dissolved at around 17:00
20:26
A new iniative encourages demonstrators to show up at a demo Tuesday 6th of march with furniture: chairs, lamps,
tables etc. The idea is the move out into the streets. The organisers write,
"We are setting up, talking with passersby and packing up if we are being told to.
Then we'll just move to another street". The demonstration will start at Raadhuspladsen at 15:00 tomorrow.
20:23
Folket Hus at Norrebro is staying open 24 hours and they have established a "prison corner" where family
and friends can write letters to the imprisoned activists. They are also encouraging people to come by with clothes,
money and other offerings for the prisoners.
20:11
In Copenhagen people have put candles in their windows. In Kartofellraekkerne (where the mayor lives)
there were candles in 7 of the 39 houses. One of the residents there writes "just because the mayor lives here
does not mean we sympathise with her".
19:48
Tonight's noise demo has finished at Norrebro Runddel. The demonstrators have joined the musical protest
that ws already there. Cafe Maanefiskeren from Christiania provided food and several people have joined in the singing.
19:40
Several of the companies that are helping Faderhuset tear down Ungdomshuset have been recieving threats and
their vehicles have already been attacked.
Tyres have been slashed, windows broken and acid poured on seat. One of the companies has sent its workers
home and are billing faderhuset for the damages -
http://politiken.dk/indland/article258425.ece
19:14
According to modkraft's sources Copenhagen police have been driving around town in an attempt to identify and arrest
people who were involved in the ungdomshus riots.
The police are carrying a photo album of suspects in one of their vans
19:06
The demo in Fredericia has finished. A participant informs that they are now on their way to the city's ungdomshus,
where there will be a fundraising for the struggle for further houses.
18:59
The noise demo has stopped at Runddelen (the cross roads of Norrebrogade and Jagtvej where Ungdomhuset is/was)
and they are in front of a massive police presence. They are shouting "those who don't jump, love Ruth"
(Ruth Evensen is the leader of Faderhuset, the Christian sect responsible for the demolition of Ungdomhuset).
18:54
The noise demo has now grown to 200-250 people. It's at Norrebrogade heading towards Runddelen.
18:49
An SMS chain message is encouraging people who are upset about the eviction of Ungdomshuset to put candles
in their windows tonight at 19:00.
18:45
Copenhagen's mayor, Ritt Bjerregaard (S), needed a police escort when she left the DR's TV studio at the Raadhuspladsen.
She had been on the DR's "aftenshowet". Since Thursday there has been gatherings at Raadhuspladsen in protest against
the clearing of Ungdomhuset.
18:31
Today's noise demo in Copenhagen has grown and there are now 150 demonstrators present.
They have reached H.C. Orstedsvej and are in both lanes of the road.
The police have agreed a route for the march and no one has been arrested
18:29
At around 17:30 about 150 protesters tried to get past the police block around the Danish embassy in Oslo.
Accoriding to an eyewitness there were clashes when some demonstrators threw rocks and fireworks.
The police fired teargas but no one was arrested.
18:20
Activists in Fredericia are currently trying to block the traffic by sitting in the road.
Police are present and have started to remove the protesters from the road. No one has been arrested yet.
18:09
The noise demo by Vestre Prison is now moving towards Norrebro.
There are about 100 people. Before the demo moved on they managened to get in contact with one of the
prisoners who responded by blinking a lamp from the cell.
17:50
The unannounced demo that started at the city hall square in Fredericia at 17:00 has been dissolved by the police.
60 protesters are moving together away from the square, with a banner saying "Why tear down a historic landmark?
We will fight to the last man".
17:54
According to the website jagtvej.dk, eyewitnesses were successful in identifying several of the companies
that have taken part in the demolition of ungdomshuset.
The companies are Chr. Guldhammer, Hetland, Kaj Guldborg Nielsen and CMP Nedrivning A/S.
17:50
The citizen group for Ungdomshuset has opened a bank account where you can donate money to support the
struggle for a new Ungdomshuset. The money will be administered by activists from Ungdomshuset,
and will not be used to buy another house, but will be used to make poster, flyers, etc - http://www.jagtvej69.dk/
17:38
7 to 8 police vans with dogs have arrived at Vestre Prison where there has been a noise demo since 17:00
17:19
100 people have showed up outside Vestre Prison this night to show their support for the activists in prison
in connection with the eviction of Ungdomshuset. The demonstrators are making noise and shouting slogans.
Several people are joining in.
17:12
A couple of hundred people met today at 16:00 at Runddelen and sang together, playing harmonica and guitar
in protest against the demolition of Ungdomshuset.
16:51
Young activists have arranged a demonstration today in Fredericia at 17:30 at
the city hall square. The slogan is "culture is dead" and it's a protest against the demolition of Ungdomshuset.
16:36
There has been more actions in support of Ungdomshuset in Bergen in Norway.
Twenty activists entered the danish consulate where they protested the demolition of Ungdomshuset.
15:55
Activists have started a new website with a debates in support of Ungdomshuset.
The unknown group calles themselves "We only just started" and want to extend the battle
for Ungdomshuset to a "social and cultural struggle".
They handed out in copenhagen today writing about the weekend's events:
"The energy we exhibited in the weekend, is the core in a society, the holds more than cafe latte, nuclear families and pension funds. Its about much more than a house. Its about our lives and the future, about how society as a whole should develop".
http://ligebegyndt.wikispaces.com/We+only+just+started
15:32
Byggefagenes Samvirke can not calm the worries of citizens at Norrebro that there wont be a spread of asbestos.
Byggefagenes Samvirke tried to get permission to enter Jagtvej 69. In a press release they wrote
"There is a serious danger that not just the house but the neighbour could have been polluted with
asbestos".
15:15
Several cars have been seen in Amager with flowers on their roofs and a flagpole out of the window
saying "Ungdomshuset Blir".
14:45
Christian Guldhammer Entreprise is stopping the work at Ungdomhuset, or they've never worked there.
The company can't seem to make up there mind.
14:09
The atmoshphere at Ungdomshuset is patient, and people are standing in smaller groups. Several have brought
banners and homemade signs to express their frustration over the demolition. A group has a banner saying
"Aarhus-BZ symphati", while a man in sunglasses has written "Ruth loves Slayer" on a piece of cardboard.
A guy is entertaining everyone with the song "El pueblo unido".
12:54
There is a noise demo for the activists in prison. It takes place today, Monday 17:00, outside Vestre
Prison, and the slogan is "Culture should not be behind bars - realise the political prisoners". The
participants are encouraged to bring music and noise.
12:51
Copenhagen's singers and musicians will meet today at Norrebro Rundel. This takes place to sing and play
the danish protest songs "I kan ikke slaa oss ihjel" (you cannot kill us) and "Bliv vaek fra vores kvarter"
(stay away from our neighbourhood). The organisers are encouranging people to come and sing.
12:39
On the homepage of politi.dk it is being reported that six people were arrested this morning. The police
write that they were arrested under illegal entrance and weapon laws. Two of the arrested are under
15 years old. The police are still blocking traffic around Jagtvej, Stefansgade, Julius Bloms gade and
Norrebrogade.
12:17
The demolition work continues. There has been several attempts at stopping traffic in Norrebrogade.
The police spokesperson, Flemming Steen Munch, says that everything is calm. Sources at Runddelen says there
are no longer many people looking at the demolition. The police have starting to search and control pedestrians
heading towards the lakes.
12:17
Earlier today there were two arrests in connection with the demolition. Since sunday night, five people have
been arrested. They are all being charged with minor crimes.
12:07
Monday afternoon at 16:00 there will be a demo from Nytorv in Aalborg, arranged by "Utilpassede Unge".
The group is not only demonstrating in support of Ungdomshuset, but also
because they want their own ungdomshus.
12:00
TV-avisen reports that police have acquired several more vans from abroad.
They have recieved several "hollaender-vans" from Holland.
11:10
The demolition work has started again. An eyewitness says the work recommenced ten minutes ago.
TV2 News shows pictures of the crane tearing down the house. They are spraying water on it to minimise the
dust.
11:01
The "building control" in Copenhagen says that they will not come out to check that all the asbetos
has been removed from Jagtvej 69.
Jan Saron, the boss of "building control", says the the asbetos work should be finished by now.
He says that they were informed March 2nd about the asbestos removal, and they have no reason to believe
the work was not done properly.
08:48
A truck filled with rubble is driving away from Ungdomshuset. There is a police officer accompanying
the driver. Police are also escorting vans to Copenhagen to aid in the demolition.
08:29
The large silver crane has now destroyed about half of the upper floor of Ungdomshuset and has started
to take down the walls of the third floor.
08:26
Parents For More Ungdomshus writes in a press release that "It is a great loss and inforgivable mistake
by the politicians. It is a cultural murder and it is an insult to everyone who works for a cultural
diversity, free spaces and alternative culture. It is shameful that this can take place in such a rich
and so-called democratic society. This hasn't been about anything other than removing an alternative
culture and making an inhuman fanatic cult many million Kroner richer". The press release ends with the
words "the battle continues".
08:21
Ungdomshuset press group writes in a press release that they have constantly suggest that the council
provide Faderhuset with an empty ground instead of tearing down Ungdomshuset, but the politicians have
refused. This means the end for the 100 year old gathering place.
08:04
"Now the battles for Ungdomshuset are going to start again. Copenhagen council have sold the house
but the young people and their wish for a house is still there" says Martin Sundbøll from the
Fund for Jagtvej 69 on the programme Go'Morgen Danmark.
08:00
Ungdomshuset is now being torn down. A crane is about to rip the top floor off.
07:34
It looks like the police officers who were inside Ungdomshuset are leaving and more vehicles are arriving.
07:21
The Ungdomshuset garden is being bulldozed to make room for the crane.
06:54
Another large demolition crane has arrived at Jagtvej 69.
06:50
The truck has been painted silver all over and the numberplate hidden so the company can not be
identified. The driver is also masked. According to TV2News several more vehicles are on their way.
06:46
A large demolition truck has arrived at Jagtvej 69. Frames around windows have been removed and the
house looks ready to be knocked down.
06:38
There are no demolition machines by Ungdomshuset, but both Modkrafts sources and TV2News says it
will happen soon.
06:15
According to reliable sources, the demolition of Ungdomshuset will happen any second.
News from Sunday 4th March