Riot 69
by Lars Christiansen
What happens when a city council decides to evict a small community ?
From 1982 the youth house on Jagtvej 69 in Copenhagen was the center of a number of cultural and political activities. A hangout for a group of young people connected to the extreme left; radical and independent thinking. Home of punk concerts, vegetarian food and marijuana growth.
This had been their home, their base for so many years...until the City of Copenhagen sold the house. There was no discussion, no alternative and the young people refused to leave the house they were given in 1982, there was no dear mother.
Whatever your views on such communes, you should expect a reaction. Not on this scale, perhaps...
I was working as a press photographer, which actually was rather dangerous. I was often in the middle of events like this.
On March 1, 2007, the youth were thrown onto the street by the police, and the Youth House on Jagtvej 69 was demolished. The land, which is still empty, is called "Ground 69" by the former users of the Youth House with a reference to Ground Zero in New York; where the World Trade Center stood before the terrorist attack in the United States on September 11, 2001.
More than 1000 young people took part in fighting for what they felt were their rights. Even young people from other European countries mobilised to join the fight. It was a political statement.
The riots took place over a period of about 2 weeks. Young people made burning barricades in the city streets. They threw missiles at the police ..stones and molotov cocktails. The fights took place in a part of Copenhagen called Nørrebro. Several shops had their windows broken and private cars were set on fire.
This was a serious battle.
Although the house of Jagtvej 69 was lost, a battle was won. Youth homes in Copenhagen are not over. As a bird Phoenix arising from the ashes, a new Youth House on Dortheavej 61 in the North West has been established with the help of the Copenhagen local politicians and the Jagtvej 69 Foundation.
The new youth home opened in October 2008.
thanks Keef Charles for reviewing my text
