Ungdomshuset

So for the past twenty years there has been this big controversy about a building. The government promised it for the youth to use as a clubhouse; they gave Copenhagen's youth their word that they would never get kicked out. But the government sold the house to some big organization that wanted to move out the youth and tear down the building for other uses. Needless to say, the youth of Copenhagen and Denmark were p-oed and there's been a lot of protests and problems. Another organization came in and offered to buy the building back from the first organization so that the youth can keep it, and it seemed like the perfect solution. But at the last minute, people of the Ungsdomhuset (the youth house) rejected the idea, claiming that no one should have to pay more than 1 Danish Kroner for the house, since the government had given initially given it to them for free. So the protesting went on; a girl in my Danish class even sat in on a peaceful pink protest when we first got here. The police went in today and took over the house.

You never really hear sirens go off in the city, but all day today the sirens didn't stop. My program's in the center of Copenhagen, and a little north of us is the neighborhood of the Ungdomshuset. My church is at the southern end of that neighborhood, called Norrebro (there should be a slash through the first 'o' but I don't have that key on my laptop). The police tried to get into the house early this morning, but resisters had barricaded the inside so they couldn't get in. So the politik landed by helicopter and broke in through the windows, and kids gathered all day today and the neighborhood was shut down because of protests and preparation against them. On my way to the train station 3 politik vans full of students passed me. It was weird.

It's not that big of a deal, this whole Ungsdomshuset thing. You won't find it on cnn or msnbc or bbc or anything because no one's died. It's a huge deal here though because it's the youth vs. the city and a "big, racist, elitist Christian cult organization." People here are calling it "a war in the city." Cars are on fire and all that jawns. It's like history in the making. weird.

On another note, I finally got the package that my family sent me! It has two pairs of tights and Korean snacks and RAMEN RAMEN RAMEN. Ichiban, Shin, Chappaghetti, etc. Rice, kim, Gorae Bap, Honey Mustard pretzels, heavenly goodness. :)