Why Denmark's hippy Christiania is closing down its open drug market
Copenhagen's libertarian Christiania neighbourhood, an old hippie paradise tainted in recent years by drug trafficking violence, is clearing out its famous Pusher Street, where cannabis used to be sold freely.
In late August, the so-called Christianite residents decided to close the street, known for its hashish stalls, after the fourth murder in three years shattered the image of a free-spirited and peaceful community.
Pusher Street "has deteriorated into being a really not very nice place," Hulda Mader, spokeswoman for the Christianites, told AFP.
"They fight each other, they fight people and they are violent," she added.
On Saturday, the locals will mark the official closure of the street.
"We're going to clear the area. So we are removing all the shops and the small cannabis shops. That's our first task in the morning," Mader said.
While the shops have always reappeared after being destroyed several times by the police, this time the actual cobblestones will be torn up.
"We'll take the cobblestones and give them to people who want some. That's just a sign that Pusher Street is changing from a pushers' street to something else," Mader explained.
For Mader, who is in her 70s and has lived in the area since 1994, it is important that most of the area's 1,000 or so residents support the action, which is being carried out in cooperation with the police and the City of Copenhagen.
Committed residents
"Their commitment is crucial," Copenhagen mayor Sophie Haestorp Andersen told AFP.
"It is the first time ever that they united and agreed to take a stand against the rising crime and insecurity in their neighbourhood.
"Digging up the street and making it a construction site will inevitably make it very difficult to sell. But it's just the beginning," she said.
In 1971, a group of hippies founded the "Free City of Christiania" in an abandoned barrack to create a municipality which, according to its statute, "belongs to everyone and to no one" and where every decision is taken collectively.
In the 84-acre waterside enclave, the sale and consumption of cannabis is illegal but tolerated, making it a hotspot for drug trafficking.
"About five or 10 years ago, it was primarily locals. But right now we see that it's mostly gangs and biker gangs that drive this drug market," Copenhagen police officer Simon Hansen explained.
Since Christiania, contrary to urban legend, is part of Denmark, police raids in the area have become more frequent.
"For too long we have accepted that pushers were selling weed and drugs like strawberries and freshly picked peas in a market," Haestorp Andersen said.
'New chapter'
In August, the locals blocked access to the free city for non-residents for one day "in the hope of freeing Christiania from the tyranny of gangs". The neighbourhood usually sees around half a million tourists a year.
The police arrested some 900 people in connection with drug trafficking in the area in 2023. No figures were given for the quantities of drugs seized.
But with this "new chapter", the residents want to "clean (the street) up and make it nice," Mader said.
"We'll paint the buildings and rebuild them and all sorts of things."
"We want to be associated with what we were associated with before.... art, culture and plays," she continued, making it "a nice place for people to come and chill out".
Christiania is located on an island abundant with greenery, where you can hear birds chirping.
Along with the wish to end drug trafficking, the community wants to capitalise on the neighbourhood's postcard image and the artistic vitality.
It also aims to start the construction of housing for about 300 new residents.
Though the details of the project have not yet been decided, residents hope it will attract families with children, as a quarter of the population is currently over the 60.
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In late August, the so-called Christianite residents decided to close the street, known for its hashish stalls, after the fourth murder in three years shattered the image of a free-spirited and peaceful community.
Pusher Street "has deteriorated into being a really not very nice place," Hulda Mader, spokeswoman for the Christianites, told AFP.
"They fight each other, they fight people and they are violent," she added.
On Saturday, the locals will mark the official closure of the street.
"We're going to clear the area. So we are removing all the shops and the small cannabis shops. That's our first task in the morning," Mader said.
While the shops have always reappeared after being destroyed several times by the police, this time the actual cobblestones will be torn up.
"We'll take the cobblestones and give them to people who want some. That's just a sign that Pusher Street is changing from a pushers' street to something else," Mader explained.
For Mader, who is in her 70s and has lived in the area since 1994, it is important that most of the area's 1,000 or so residents support the action, which is being carried out in cooperation with the police and the City of Copenhagen.
Committed residents
"Their commitment is crucial," Copenhagen mayor Sophie Haestorp Andersen told AFP.
"It is the first time ever that they united and agreed to take a stand against the rising crime and insecurity in their neighbourhood.
"Digging up the street and making it a construction site will inevitably make it very difficult to sell. But it's just the beginning," she said.
In 1971, a group of hippies founded the "Free City of Christiania" in an abandoned barrack to create a municipality which, according to its statute, "belongs to everyone and to no one" and where every decision is taken collectively.
In the 84-acre waterside enclave, the sale and consumption of cannabis is illegal but tolerated, making it a hotspot for drug trafficking.
"About five or 10 years ago, it was primarily locals. But right now we see that it's mostly gangs and biker gangs that drive this drug market," Copenhagen police officer Simon Hansen explained.
Since Christiania, contrary to urban legend, is part of Denmark, police raids in the area have become more frequent.
"For too long we have accepted that pushers were selling weed and drugs like strawberries and freshly picked peas in a market," Haestorp Andersen said.
'New chapter'
In August, the locals blocked access to the free city for non-residents for one day "in the hope of freeing Christiania from the tyranny of gangs". The neighbourhood usually sees around half a million tourists a year.
The police arrested some 900 people in connection with drug trafficking in the area in 2023. No figures were given for the quantities of drugs seized.
But with this "new chapter", the residents want to "clean (the street) up and make it nice," Mader said.
"We'll paint the buildings and rebuild them and all sorts of things."
"We want to be associated with what we were associated with before.... art, culture and plays," she continued, making it "a nice place for people to come and chill out".
Christiania is located on an island abundant with greenery, where you can hear birds chirping.
Along with the wish to end drug trafficking, the community wants to capitalise on the neighbourhood's postcard image and the artistic vitality.
It also aims to start the construction of housing for about 300 new residents.
Though the details of the project have not yet been decided, residents hope it will attract families with children, as a quarter of the population is currently over the 60.
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