<nettime> Christiania closes (temporarily) for business (Copenhagen Post)

["Patrice Riemens" <patrice@xs4all.nl>]

bwo INURA list/ Tino Bucholz

original to:
http://www.cphpost.dk/news/local/51500-christiania-closes-for-business.html

The Copenhagen Post
Christiania closes for business
Wednesday, 27 April 2011

We need to pause for thought, say residents
Christiania is closed for business as residents ponder their future.

In an effort to ponder whether it will fight to retain its autonomous
status, the self-proclaimed free town of Christiania has barricaded all
entry points and closed down all its stores starting today.

The closure is not permanent, only for the ?next few days?, according to
Christiania?s press group.

The Christianites are currently handing out flyers outside the barricades,
asking their supporters to respect the temporary closure. ?We?re closing
to avoid closure,? the flyer reads.

?We need to stop to think,? the group told Ekstra Bladet newspaper.
?Partly so that we can get some time to think about our current situation,
but also to draw attention to the fact that Christiania is under
pressure,? they said, adding that the state?s demand to normalise the town
has hurt its distinctive image.

In February the Supreme Court decided to revoke Christiania?s right to
self-rule and gave the government the right to sell the land, which means
that the residents are technically squatting in the disused naval base
they overtook in 1971. Subsequent negotiations have not yet led to any
concrete agreement on the future of the settlement.

?We believe the preliminary outline from the state will lead to a
liquidation of the open, self-governing, experimental Christiania that we
know today,? the group said, pointing out that the Christianites are
willing to negotiate a legalisation, but such a deal should ?secure the
qualities that we are proud of?.

Christiania lawyer, Knud Foldschack, believes a solution to the
40-year-old legal tussle over the freetown is in sight.

?It?s high time that we sort this out,? Foldschack told Berlingske
newspaper. ?The way I see it, there is broad agreement among the
Christianites that we should buy the whole thing.?

He said that the combined purchase price for all the state-owned buildings
within the 34-hectare property would amount to some 150 million kroner.

Claus Hjort Frederiksen, the finance minister, who is in charge of the
negotiations, has presented the Christianites with two options: either
most of the state-owned property currently being used as dwellings can be
transformed into a new public housing association, or Christiania ?
collectively or each resident individually ? can buy the buildings.

Frederiksen will now await the final feedback from the Christianites, who
will be discussing the issue over three joint meetings next week.

See related stories

Christiania loses self-rule

Midlife crisis looming for Christiania

Massive haul at Christiania police raid


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