You might have caught this on CNN, but I'd like to provide some further detail.
About fifteen minutes away from my campus there's a run-down, graffiti covered building. It looks like
this and is called Ungdomshuset, or The Youth House. It's been a socialist center since 1897, which is when it was constructed and functioned as a resort for the labor movement. It was the movement's lack of popularity with the authorities that necessitated the construction of the building which was used as its headquarters. At the time it was called Folkets Hus - The People's House in English - and among other things it facilitated the 1918 demonstrations in which workers stormed Børsen - the danish stock exchange. Second International, a socialist movement, used the building for an International Women's conference in 1910 to declare the 8th of March as International Women's Day. Of further historical significance is the fact that Vladimir Lenin and Rosa Luxemburg have both held speeches there.
Fast forwarding to the '50s, Brugsen, a supermarket chain, decide to buy Folkhuset, tear it down, and use the space for building a supermarket. The municipality promptly tells they can't do that because of the building's historical significance so they sell it to some folk music ensemble who in turn sell it to the municipality for financial reasons in the late 1970s. At the same time, the danish government sees a lot of confrontations between squatters, rioters and police officers so in '82 the building is assigned to a group of youths to alleviate tensions. From then on it's known as Ungdomshuset and is used as a concert venue and home to all things alternative.
In 1997 a contract is signed between Ungdomshuset and the municipality requiring the municipality to provide funds for upkeep and obliging them to find a replacement of a bigger or equal size in the same area should the youths be, at any point, required to vacate. The catch is that the moment they are doing anything illegal the deal is off.
The funds for upkeep were never received, the building wasn't brought up to code and the building is subsequently ravaged by a fire. In 1999, after the fire, the municipality decides to sell the building with a memo justifying the sale by claiming illegal activities took place inside. The police debunks the accusation stating that they have no evidence of any sort of illegal activities taking place. Faderhuset, a Christian fundamentalist right-wing "we-hate-gays-muslims-and-blacks" religious sect, bids an unknown amount of money but are rejected as they are not considered serious buyers. The Jagtvej 69 foundation bids 2.4 million DKK (~450,000 USD) but are outbid by 100,000 kroner by Human A/S. For some reason, the Jagtvej 69 foundation don't get to re-bid and Ungdomshuset is sold to Human A/S, which turns out to be a front for Faderhuset who buy Human A/S and thus end up owning the house.
After six years of court battles follow, the Jagtvej 69 foundation offers to buy it back for 15 million kroner (~$2.6 million) but Faderhuset rejects, instead announcing their plan to tear the building down turn it into a parking lot. The municipality looks for a new building for the youths, and they end up offering a school for the handicapped which the youths would have to share for the low price of 12 million kroner. The youths offer a symbolic 1 kroner, intending to use the foundation's money for upkeep (remember, by the way, that the municipality is still technically obliged to both pay for the upkeep and provide a new building). The municipality rejects. The youths offer to to pay the 12 million, but have the municipality pay for upkeep (this happened last wednesday). The municipality rejects again and withdraws its offer. From then on protests follow, and a few of them turn into riots. Since pictures drive the point home better than words, here are some pictures. All of them are from the past week unless I wrote otherwise.
Riotpolice around the building Helicopter troops descend on top of the building Rioter running from the police Police truck circling around various fires (Dec 2006) German Autonomen dressed in riot gear. The sign says 'Ungdomshuset Stays" (Dec. 2006) Defaced car (Dec. 2006) Couple watching a fire (Dec. 2006) Arrested youth tries to escape Police trying to apprehend rioter Police trucks getting past barricades Rioters Riot police Police brutality? Helicopter hovering above the building Rioters turning over some vehicle Police arresting someone Drunken hippie who probably supports Ungdomshuset.
I hope someone finds this interesting.