Chaos in Copenhagen
I blogged earlier in the year about the controversial "Ungdomshuset," located on Jagtvej 69 in Copenhagen. If you haven't already heard, the entire situation has come to a head. The kids have been removed from the house by police and there have been quite a few demonstrations and violent episodes in the last few days. 90 people were arrested earlier today in connection with the saga, with quite a few of the participants, being from other European countries. 200 were arrested in all.
If you don't know what I'm talking about I'll do a quick recap. Ungdomhuset was a building, home, refuge where young people lived. Drifters, artists, free spirits and generally likeminded young people assembled and lived in the house at no cost. Apparently, many years ago The City of Copenhagen gave the kids free reign to use the house as they will and the tradition had continued ever since as a haven for young people to hang their hats. The problem was that the youth never legally owned the house and therefore the City of Copenhagen was free to sell it and that's what they did. Two years ago the youth were given notice to leave the house, however the kids weren't going without a fight and that is what it has come down to in the last few days.
Many feel that this conflict is a symptom of the winds of change that are sweeping over Denmark and the rest of the modern world. There is obviously a group of youths that don't feel at home in a modern, rapidly changing society and this is a problem that's probably not going to go away anytime soon.
