Ungdomshuset News - 13th & 14th March (English translation from Modkraft.dk)
Wednesday 14th March
There are still solidarity actions taking place for ungdomshuset, both in Denmark and abroad
Activists with connection to Socialistick Youth Front, had a solidarity action Wednesday morning.
At Norrebro Runddele, about 20 meters from where ungdomshuest used to be, the activists opened a new
"free space" which consisted of pink furninture for free use by the residents of Copenhagen.
"There is need for a space where people don't look down on you because you are different.
Where people don't judge your look, your skin colour, whether you have a boyfriend/girlfriend of the same sex
or have piercings. Places were we can define the limits ourselves", writes the activists in a press release.
International solidarity
There are also solidarity actions for Ungdomshuset happening abroad. On 8th of march, international women's day,
activists in Barcelona, Spain, put up flags, banners and similar things around town.
"Every rock that has been removed, shows what the state is trying to supress", writes the spanish activists.
The action was on internatinal women's day since it was in Ungdomshuset that the first international women's day
was prcolaimed, almost 100 years ago.
In germany there has been actions, demos and clashes between demonstrators and police in connections with the
clearing of the house. At the front of the alternative cultural centre Rote Flora, in Hamburg, there is a huge
solidariity declartion with ungdomshuset.
Even as far away as China people have been protesting. It wasn't chinese, though, but three danish people working
in China. In a press release "Jacob, Anders and Anders", who are in Tianjiin, write:
"It is frustrating to be on the other side of the planet and not being able to demonstrate with the young peple in
Copenhagen when you see on the news what is happening. It shifts your perceptions about what means the most,
private property or a valuable piece of cultural heritage. That was the thought.
But the 8000km between Jagtvej amd Huanhuzhong Road in Tianjin in China wasn't going to stop us from expressing
our opinion. We went for a walk with a banner and a camera and got support from the local people.
We had probably met even more friendliness if they had understood our cause. You just don't sell a living house with
residents in it, and just demolish it! We hope the activism will live on. This is our protest from China"
Thursday 15th of march there is a demo in protest over the clearing of Ungdomshuset
The demo takes place from BlaagaardsPlads at Norrebro, exactly two weeks after the clearing,
but symbolically also on the same day as the "international day against police brutality".
The complaints about the police behaviour around the clearing of the house grows continually,
and Amnestiy International and several of the opposition parties have demanded that the there should be an
investigation into the way the police handled it. So far, the justice minister Lene Espersen has denied an
investigation.
The coming weekend there are several demos and a number of happenings.
Tuesday 13th March
Enhedslisten are encouranging organisations and people to use the party as a tool to get their voices heard in
the parliament.
"When the minister doesn't think it is necessary to investigate the many different incidents that happened after
last weeks riots, Enhedslisten must then ask the questions". Enhedslistens lawperson, Line Barfod, encourages people
who have not been treated right to contact the party if they are not getting anywhere with the government.
Enhedslisten will then on behalf of people ask questions to the parliament.
"As polititicans we have the possibilty to get an asnwer from the ministers, and we will use this actively",
says Line Barfod to Ritzau. This decision is based on the justice minister's decision to not start an investigation
to look into the police's handling of the riots in connection with the clearing of Ungdomshuset.
Enhedslisten is also just doing what the justice minister, Lene Espersen said,
"The politicians can always ask questions in the parliament, and I will answer these as the justice minister.
It is natural that when something as chaotic as last weeks happening, there will be questions asked.
We will of course treat them seriously".
The demand for an investigation came from Amnesty International. Even though Espersen will not start an investigation,
Amnesty will get answers to their questions from the relevant governmental departments;
The state police, the state laywer, The state judges and the criminal system.
Free therapy offered to young people suffering trauma from last weeks events
Young people who have had psycological and traumatic "after feelings" from the riots in Copenhagen are
being offered help by a volunteer group of phycologists and therapists, going under the name
"The street therapists 69". They offer conversations, crisis handling and councelling to the young people who
were involved in the riots.
The therapists' motivation for this is that many young people were arrested and put in custordy for a long time
- some 15 year olds were put in custody for 27 days.
The group writes in a press release that several "of the young peoples confessions were not considered, and legal
mistakes have been made made. Some of the young people are in prison for not having done anything, isolated
from friends and family. This kind of freedom removal is very scary, and can traumatise people psycologically and
physically for a long time afterwards".
The street therapists warn that some of the experiences of the young people can be very damaging to their
physicological wellbeing, "A lot of the young people will get powerful effects from this, as a result of shock and
stress, and this demands professional attention. It is our opinion, as phycologists and therapists, that all people
who are put in situations that can give long term phycological effect should get professional help".
The therapists write that the young people are not being offered help from the social system to get over their traumas,
shock or crisis. The group is offering "voluntarily, the help that we think is necessary. We will continue to appeal
that this is supported from the social system".
Contact: gadeterapeuter@hotmail.com
Temprory web site: http://gadeterapeuterne.web17.dandomain.dk
Later in the week: http://www.gadeterapeuterne69.dk
News from Monday 12th March