OFF THE WIRE
The finance minister is afraid the Hells Angels will impose a “sharia law” (Photo: Colourbox)
The coming sale of Christiania’s buildings may result in it becoming “one big rocker stronghold” fears finance minister Claus Hjort Frederiksen.
He believes that parts of Christiania are dominated by a rocker “sharia-law” that has such “frightening prospects” that he is seeking a guarantee from the free-state that only peaceful Christianites are involved in the sale of the buildings.
“I am worried by how much power organised crime has in Christiania. We know that there are different gangs present and that the Hells Angels are out there. I am lacking an assurance from Christianites on how capable they are of keeping the gang element out.”
The finance minister referred to a series of violent episodes that were described in the Christiania newspaper Ugespejlet, such as an incident where a man was, in the finance minister’s words, “beaten to a pulp” at the Opera café on Pusherstreet. The man’s wife said she was told repeatedly not to call the police.
According to the café’s staff she was not directly told it was forbidden, but they told Ugespejlet that “in our eyes there are some unwritten rules.”
Christiania spokesperson Thomas Ertmann acknowledged that they do have problems with criminality just like the rest of the country.
“It’s a policing problem and I feel that they are running from the responsibility by pushing it over onto Christiania.”
The plans to redevelop Christiania began in 2004 when the Christiania Act of 1989 was amended in order to ‘normalise’ the area and open it up to residential and commercial development. The Christianites have since been fighting in court to establish their right to control the free-state.
This was given a significant blow on February 12 when the High Court upheld a 2009 ruling giving the state control over Christiania.
Frederik sen has since held negotiations with the Christianites. The latest deal would establish public housing organisations as landlords of the buildings, from which the Christianites would be able to buy their homes back for 3,500 kroner per square metre. This a fraction of the 31,000 kroner per square metre nearby Christianshavn residents are paying for their homes, though all profits from future sales would be returned to the state.
Christiania’s residents have until May 2 to agree to the new deal that was described by many as being overly generous. Speaking to Information newspaper, real estate agent Michael Hammerbak said it was a “gift” that Christianites were able to live so cheaply in such an attractive area.
Peter Skaarup of the Danish People’s Party (DF) sought an explanation from the finance minister over the pricing.
“The starting point should be the market price. I am not convinced that this is the right price and I wonder about the price per square metre. Christiania is regarded as attractive real estate by estate agents.”
But Kristian Lyk-Jensen, from the state’s property agency, told Berlingske that the value of Christiania’s properties cannot be viewed in terms of the open market price. He said this is due to their dilapidated state and because parliament has decided to protect the area and allow the current residents the opportunity to stay.
“To compare home ownership in Christiania with Christianshavn or Islands Brygge is like comparing a Trabant with a Mercedes.”
http://www.cphpost.dk/news/local/87-local/51345-fears-of-christiania-becoming-a-biker-gang-haven.html
