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Freetown Christiania, also known as Christiania, is an intentional community and commune of about 850 to 1,000 residents, covering 19 acres in the Danish capital city of Copenhagen.

Denmark is often listed among the happiest countries in the world, but back in 1971 there was enough discontent to inspire a group of hippies, junkies, oddballs and outcasts to set up a permanent squat in a former military complex in the country’s capital.

Over the years, the social experiment developed into a self-contained society that, though it rejected state control, lived in tolerable harmony with the rest of the city - Christiania has its own flag and currency.

Many Danes outside of the commune see the town as a successful social experiment, a place where entrepreneurs are as highly regarded and valued as the drug addicts who take refuge in the area because of the ongoing negotiations concerning the legality of substance abuse.

The commune today is partially self-governing, and its members pay taxes to the state, but it still applies own rules such as no cars, no stealing, no guns, no bullet-proof vests, no hard drugs. The stands on the famed Pusher Street, where until 2004 one could buy hash openly, are today gone, but cameras are still not allowed.

Still, at core an anarchist community, Christiania remains a place where drugs are freely sold and consumed without overt interference from the police — a weed-smoking Disneyland.

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Image: https://www.contiki.com/six-two/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/1440-Christiania.jpg

Image: https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/9ace7fe3ae868d045a767778956c7d8f45bf0d0c/43_122_2893_1736/master/2893.jpg?width=620&quality=45&auto=format&fit=max&dpr=2&s=d9c98ab083877a5a578aaa813b87d199

Image: https://static01.nyt.com/images/2018/08/26/world/26Freetown1/merlin_141931104_98147bfa-d0e0-4d95-83ea-0aa9a4deab5e-superJumbo.jpg


Freetown Christiania (Wikipedia)

Paradise lost: does Copenhagen’s Christiania commune still have a future?

they don't have a clue what anarchy means. idiots.

rules such as no cars, no stealing, no guns, no bullet-proof vests, no hard drugs.

and if someone breaks a rule?

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cameras are still not allowed.

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How are we seeing pics?

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at core an anarchist community

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its members pay taxes to the state

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Hmm...interesting dichotomy there. I wonder what they get back from the state with those taxes.

I’ve been there several times. It’s not really like CHAZ. But it may have started that way

does that scaffolding have a permit?

I'm fine with these places if they're truly anarchist and not commie, and self sustaining.

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rules such as no cars, no stealing, no guns, no bullet-proof vests, no hard drugs. 

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Then it's not free..

I’ve been there. It’s just a literal pile of trash and smelly hippies doing arts and crafts and feeding ducks

This one in Copenhagen is large and has some quite specific interactions with the local government but similar types of "communes" in ex-military buildings / spaces that were taken over by squatter are all over Europe.

They mainly have a few residents and a lot of "members" that use the spaces for art/gardens and various kinds of commerce. The main commerce though is usually concerts/shows.

I toured in bands in my younger days and a lot of rock shows in Europe are organized in these places.