Copenhagen's Hippy Haven
The overcast June sky had created a constant drizzle. I was lost searching for Freetown Christiania. At the behest of my phone, I had followed a footpath into a park, which supposedly led to the hippy commune of Copenhagen, Christiania. Though I had passed a sign at the entrance of the park that said "Christiania," I was still unsure exactly where I was. The path was severely overgrown, litter was everywhere, and there was a pungent scent whose source I did not want to find. I hoped that this was not the state of Christiania itself.
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons/fabiolah
After too much time stumbling through the woods, I began seeing clues that I was in the right place. Through the branches and greenery of the park, I could see splashes of bright colors decorating the sides of buildings. I stumbled off the path and onto a paved road, and I knew I had found Christiania.
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Stefan Ertmann
It was early Monday morning when I arrived, so I had the streets almost entirely to myself. I wandered aimlessly, enjoying the psychedelic graffiti and art that decorated every surface. The colors popped brightly against the dull, gray sky.
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons/ cisko66
The bones of Christiania show its history, with many of the structures predating the commune. Originally, the area had been used by the military, and as I meandered through the streets, I could see some semblance of that. I passed brick buildings that had been warehouses, multilevel barracks, concrete bunker entrances, and other remnants of the original facilities. Now, all of it is covered in art left by the locals. The area sat unused by the Danish military and in 1971, a group of hippies and artists settled on the land, declaring it Freetown Christiania. After numerous failed attempts to evict the new residents due to their rejection of Danish laws, the government declared Christiania a "social experiment” and let it be. In 2012, under mounting pressure to allow the use of the increasingly valued land of Christiania, the government sold the land itself to the community, represented by a collective. Christiania is now mostly autonomous and is considered anarchic.
Image Credit: Caleb Lemke
I continued onward through the hippy haven, passing vegan and organic restaurants opening for lunch, and small shops selling handmade clothes and trinkets. Flyers advertised local concerts and events. I passed numerous houses, each with their own gardens. Each house was still covered in art and graffiti. It was peaceful and quiet.
Image Credit: Flickr/Arnaud DG
As I rounded the next corner, I discovered a market. Upon approach, I saw that while there were places to purchase food and souvenirs, the main product seemed to be cannabis. Small, mobile carts lined the street, no more than 20 in number. It seemed that the market itself was not yet in full swing, that it was possible more carts and vendors may arrive as the day progressed. As I passed through the market, vendors were hawking their goods to myself and the few other people on the street. Walking among the stalls, there was no mistaking the strong scent of cannabis around me. The vendors themselves seemed to be nonthreatening, if pushy, salespeople. I stopped at a stall at the end of the market to look for postcards. Finding one I liked, I stopped to check the conversion rate on my phone when I was approached by two men.
Image Credit: Caleb Lemke
"What are you doing, there are no photos here," the shorter of the two said emphatically. He pointed to a nearby wall emblazoned with a "no photos" sign. His larger companion simply crossed his arms and looked me up and down. These were not vendors I had passed. I did not know who exactly they were.
"I know, I was not taking a photo. I was checking the conversion rate."
"No, put your phone away."
"I would like to know the cost."
"It is cheap, buy it or do not, put your phone away," the larger demanded.
Image Credit: Flickr/Mandias
Not wanting trouble, I complied and left. Unbeknownst to me, I had wandered into the infamous "Pusher Street" of Christiania, also known as the Green Light District. Some years ago, the nature of the use of hard drugs, as well as the attention it attracted from law enforcement, caused locals to band together to remove their influences from the community. After that point, the only drug accepted within Christiania was cannabis. However, drugs still posed a problem to Christiania. While the anarchic commune generally accepts the use and sale of cannabis, it began having unwanted affiliations and sellers. Police still pursued dealers when they could, and most small-time dealers ceased operations to avoid the police. Thus, the only dealers left were those affiliated with people willing to take more risks, and with more backing. Non-local, organized groups such as the Hell’s Angels are believed to control most of the estimated one billion kroner ($150 million) in cannabis dealing in Christiania. In its prime, Pusher Street was actually the largest open cannabis market on the planet.
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons/ Schorle
Pusher Street was dealt another blow in August of 2016 after a shooting transpired in the Green Light District. Three people were injured, including a Danish police officer, and the shooter was eventually killed in a shootout with police. This would mark the first act of violence on the commune since its beginning. After town meetings, the locals decided the best way to keep their community safe, and the police out was to bring an end to Pusher Street. Stalls and vendors were shut down and forced to leave. However, as I saw, it did not quite stick.
Image Credit: Flickr/Jimmy Baikovicius
Christiania is not without its problems. Negative influences from Pusher Street continue to be a liability to the community, a danger physically and to the community’s autonomy. However, do not let that deter you from venturing to Christiania. The 1000 or so residents of the commune have created a unique oasis that is bright, colorful, and creative in a way I have never before seen. Christiania is a strange hippy dream, still alive and thriving, nearly half a century after its inception. So if you have the proclivity and the ability to visit this facet of Copenhagen, then take the chance to visit this uniquely independent neighborhood.
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons/News Oresund
