Squat 69 (2006) - full transcript

500 STONE THROWING AUTONOMOUS VIOLENT PSYCHOPATHS FROM HELL

'Squat 69'

This is the story about the young ones and the

house on Jagtvej 69 in Copenhagen.

A long time ago ...

in 1982.

The City gave the house to the young ones.

Now they could do whatever they wanted.

There were no rules but their own.

The young ones were so happy that ...

they decided to pour water into the mayors pants.

He was still not their favorite.

It was as if they did not

quite understand each other.

At that time Jacob was 8 years old

and Anna was not yet born.

Later they both turned out to be ...

some of 'those' from Ungdomshuset.

Later Anna began to study philosophy.

ln the spring of 1993 the people from

Ungdomshuset went on the streets,

to demonstrate against the European Union.

They were throwing rocks.

ln return the police fired their guns.

Jacob was seventeen

and had green hair.

Nowadays he wears a bowler hat.

ln 1999 ...

the city decided to sell the house.

They did not want the young

punks to stay there anymore.

The young people got really angry.

They protested by hanging a banner on the house.

It said:

''FOR SALE! lNCLUDlNG 500 STONE

THROwlNG VlOLENT PS YCHOPATHS FROM

HELL''.

A very christian group of people called

'Faderhuset' took the offer,

and bought the house.

They wanted to redeem the young people.

And turn the house into

a place of light and joy.

The era of left-wing troublemakers

and anarchist rebels had to end!

Around this time Anna went to

her first concert in Ungdomshuset.

Jacob juggled on stage at the concert.

Today Jacob, Anna and all

the others are still in the house.

They consider the house a gift

and don't want to move!

The christian owners 'Faderhuset'

got angry and took the case to court.

It's now winter 2006.

But when spring and

summer has passed,

the court will decide whether

or not to remove the young punks ...

Cancer on McDonalds

If one was to write a slogan for us,

then I guess it would be something like,

'No Gods, No Masters'.

As we don't acknowledge authorities.

No matter if they are physical or spiritual.

And, I guess that means in it's essence,

that no matter what the

court decides later this year,

then it really doesn't matter to us,

because we will not acknowledge it anyway.

So if they decide that we

can stay - then well, fine ...

then we don't need to act on it ourselves.

But if they decide we have to be removed.

That doesn't matter either way.

Because we don't recognize their

right to decide matters about our house.

That is really strange ...

Maybe if you turn it ...

Yes.

That oven is a pain in the ass.

who is boiling water?

That's a really strange color.

Nanna, is this your water

looking strangely coloured?

Does it look weird?

It's black or green ... How was it, Amalia?

I just boiled potatoes in it, that's why.

It went okay ...

I didn't fall.

And I did not set my hair on fire

like I did last year.

Damn, that singer's whining.

Let's write a list of what's here.

Then we can give them

money for the booze later.

well, there is a lot of booze.

I guess that's kind of handy

when you're having a booze bar.

So we are selling both shots and pot-chai?

... and wine too.

There's 12 liters of eco-wine.

He is going to bring his own

turntable and CD player ...

Do we need to play ourselves later?

I think he is going to DJ all night,

otherwise we will borrow his gear.

Maybe we should place him along the bar?

Then we can help each other.

Okay we will let him set up here.

Or ...

Sif? Are you up there?

I live on the streets in a

town called Slagelse,

because that's where I go to school.

So it's easier to hang around

and just sleep somewhere near school.

I used to crash at this old factory.

It was really near my school,

but the cops found out

I was sleeping in there.

And some other people were

breaking windows there.

So, I lost a place to sleep.

My mom was a part of the early punk

movement in the 80's, and she told me ...

they used to squat everything

to get a house like this.

And if they evict us from here,

It will just be the same

situation all over again.

This house works like

all other anarchist squats.

we decide all matters collectively

on a meeting every monday.

Everyone can come and say what the want.

Everyone is entitled to,

and respected for, their opinions.

we don't vote, but we reach

solutions through discussion.

That's Anarchy.

You can call it whatever you want.

You may call it Communism,

but it is Anarchy.

I'm not a very intellectual person,

I don't like to go to meetings.

I don't like to talk about things.

I really like to ...

... go ahead and just do it, directly.

If I want something done

I just go out and do it.

what I mean by writing 'cancer'

across the walls of McDonalds?

I guess it's simple really,

that McDonalds is a cancer.

Or the kind of companies

that McDonalds represent,

and what cars are doing and ...

ln a way it's a disease ...

to be a consumer and to consume,

and commercials and all that ...

It's really important to

have places like this.

(Anna, The Backyard, winter)

It's really important to

have places like this.

And that there are a lot of these places.

So that a people are

allowed an alternate agenda.

I know it's completely utopian

to think that there will be a revolution,

and Denmark along with the rest of

the western world will become anarchist.

I know that's not going to happen.

Right now, there's so much activity.

A lot of new young activists are joining.

I am completely baffled, they are so young,

and don't know them and ...

On the other hand, it's really sad,

that the city's policy has been

to slaughter all of these alternate places.

'Christiania', 'Ungdomhuset', and all the alternative

theatres around the city.

There are a lot of bad things

happening at the moment.

The fight against racism and

for better education and everything else,

can be summed up in the

fight for a completely different society.

where decisions aren't a matter of capital.

A basic principle for this place

is to ensure that people ...

can take responsibility for their own lives.

(Jacob, the campaign office, winter)

can take responsibility for their own lives.

The reason I'm fighting for

Ungdomshuset right now is

because this house is irreplaceable.

It has a historic value,

that reaches all the way back

to when Communism was at it's strongest.

Acting as an alternative to our society,

much more open and decentralized.

A house where the 'lnternational women's Day'

was established in 1910.

I would feel like ...

I mean, how would the

right-wing party feel if

The Danish Liberation Monument was torn down

and replaced by a mosque?

I can't imagine Copenhagen without

a house like Ungdomshuset.

Some of the right-wing parties

might consider us close to terrorists.

I guess those people will

have no problems evicting us,

because they can always argue

that we are left-wing radicals,

and that we are close to Rote Armee Fraktion.

It would be nice if the

public would support us,

but people just don't know, that there are activities

like our open kitchen and all that.

I think we are miles away from

being understood by the Danish society.

My mom and dad met each other in here.

Maybe not right here,

but around this movement.

So they have the same

opinions about this as me.

I think the first time I was in here

was 4 or 5 years ago at a concert.

Back then I didn't think a lot about it,

but then I began to study

philosophy at university.

where I met some people from this house.

I read a lot of philosophy,

political philosophy and ethics,

and then I started to come here, I became an

activist, and cook in the kitchen ...

and then I got to know the people in here and we

did political work together ...

outside of this house too,

like political actions.

This works as an office for meetings.

And as an office for those who

are a part of the campaign group.

which runs the campaign for survival.

I have spent more time in here,

than I have in my apartment where I have lived for

the past 12 years.

So in many ways I consider

this house my second home.

This is where we have

our Monday night meetings.

where we all collectively make decisions regarding

the daily running of the house.

Everyone must feel that

their opinion has been heard.

we always have to

reach some kind of compromise.

The fact that we run this all by ourselves.

I mean that's so nice. There are no authorities and

no one has the final word.

The Monday night meeting

is the only authority.

I do think about the fact that

we might be evicted.

well, I think about it of course.

But personally ...

for my part ...

considering the fact that

my life is a reaction,

my daily life consist of counter-actions to way

other people lead their lives.

That is probably why I'm

not so bothered by it.

But of course, it would be different if we were told

that in less than a month we would be removed.

I can feel that the tension is stronger now,

because of this threat.

we lock the doors more

often and we keep a night-watch.

But also, whenever there is

a football match in town,

with crazy hooligans looking for

weird looking people to beat up,

they usually come here.

And then you feel like ...

because we have that threat

of eviction so close as well.

So of course it matters,

but it's not something I think of all the time.

I don't like to fight.

I have never hit anyone.

I don't want that to happen,

but I don't know what is going to happen

when they evict us from this house.

I mean, there is going to be a

Christian congregation in here,

that believes that all homosexuals

should burn in Hell,

and all immigrants should be

send out of the country.

I really don't know what

my reactions will be in that situation.

If you were my Daughter

I would have Kicked Your Ass.

Boys wear blue,

and girls wear pink.

Boys play with cars.

Girls play with dolls.

Boys may splash around in the mud,

but good girls play nicely inside.

Then it begins like ...

ls that the same chord?

Then we could play it like that?

No that sounds shitty doesn't?

why is that?

what was so cool about it?

was how it kept going higher?

Precisely, and what was

so cheesy about it ...

And then just continue

in half tone steps all the way up.

The problem is I'm already

singing at the top of my register.

I'm really into learning how to build things.

And you can almost become a carpenter ...

just by doing work around this house.

At least, that is what I

want to do right now.

My plan is to apply at

the Danish Music Academy,

to become a 'sound engineer'

It's really interesting ...

but I mean, not right now.

Right now it's fine just to mess

around in a recording studio.

Some day I'm going to build

my own recording studio ...

I had a recording studio when I went to the

Technical School on Hejrevej.

But the principal didn't

want that in his school.

It was too creative and

couldn't be a part of his school.

So it was shut down.

It was the only opportunity to

work with sound engineering,

if you don't have the money

to buy your own gear,

and you don't have any

prior experience with it.

It still looks like a battlefield,

but at least we managed to

clear most of the trash away.

I hope we can get a car

to come and collect it all.

Otherwise the neighbors will complain

about the potential fire hazard down here.

I'm an electrician, full time.

So I'm here as much as can manage,

whenever I'm off work.

ln weekends like today or ...

During the last year or so,

I have been in charge

of these 'work weekends'

Right now we are working

on a construction project.

I mean it's mostly me but ...

Here we put in a new concrete floor,

and put this old bowling alley floor on top.

It's messy here and

something is always happening.

I mean, it's messy ...

Thats what it's like in here.

People throw away things

that are completely fresh,

I will take my chances today

and eat it without washing it.

It tastes fine.

If you dress all in black, carrying

iron pipes and wearing helmets ...

That kind of image gets us no

sympathy in the general public.

You always have to

consider the pros and cons,

but it might be necessary if we have to defend

Ungdomshuset in a militant way.

The politicians need to know

that we are willing to do this,

but at the same time, we should do fun

happenings too, to get attention.

The 5 rules of the house are:

No violence.

No hard drugs.

No sexism.

No hetero sexism,

and no racism.

How about doing it before the band ...

The banner is here because

some of the people in here,

are very conscious of

the lyrics of some reggae songs,

which are in conflict

with the rules of this house.

No sexism, racism,

hetero sexism and so on ...

There is quite a lot of diplomatic work,

prior to a reggae party in here.

Mostly because of the reggae lyrics,

being from a different part of the world,

and therefore reflect other standards

than those of 'Ungdomshuset'.

Then I had to tell the reggae people,

this party is in a house

which has a certain set of rules,

so let's try to play according

to those rules.

And of course I had to

tell the people in here that,

at this party there will some

music that might be offensive to some,

but there is a reason for this.

And there ought to be room in

Ungdomshuset for this kind of music too.

For the reggae people,

I think to play in here,

and think about what records you play, and to talk

to the people in here ...

It has some effect on them too.

It really creates

a nice atmosphere in here,

that you can tell people,

'Listen, if that's how you are going to talk to me,

then you have to leave'.

we decide in here, and we

have decided this collectively.

It gives us so much freedom,

that you don't have to put up

with some drunk idiot hitting on you.

Or someone saying,

'Get me a beer bitch'.

Okay, Ungdomshuset might

be against homophobia,

but maybe one should look

at it from a broader perspective,

and consider that hetero sexism

is all over society, and of course in here too.

I mean, you can't take a shower to

wash away all influences from the outside.

we carry it with us

everywhere, even in here.

That is also what is really interesting,

when bringing two different

cultures together like this.

whenever I have been to

parties out among normal people.

They often think they

can provoke me by saying,

'Are you a girl or a boy?'.

And I'm like,

'well, I am a girl but,

I'm a little of both I guess'.

I don't think of myself as being either or,

and I don't think I'm less worth because of it.

It's all the same to me

but people react like 'Ohh'.

They think it's really offensive.

Mostly it is people who want to offend you.

So then they find something else

to say and then I get offended.

It's really sort of curious. It really illustrates like,

'So you think I look like a boy,

that really destroys my femininity'.

'Now I really feel worthless'.

It really bothered me,

when I was a kid and played

with toy cars when other kids teased me,

but I just reached the decision that

that's not how I want live my life.

That's not how it should be.

I was in 'Fredericia', in a supermarket.

I was with my friend in there.

Then this man in his 40's turns around and and

tells my friend,

'If you were my daughter

I would have kicked your ass'.

This is the first thing he says to us!

what?

And I mean in front of his own children!

what the hell is the matter with people?

I don't understand it.

A Place of Light and Peace

I'm going downstairs again ... okay?

I'll be down in 2 seconds, I hope ...

Yes, exactly.

I am going to tell a bit about

the history of the house.

(Jacob, at support party in Northern Jutland,

spring)

I am going to tell a bit about

the history of the house.

Since the workers movement,

it has always been a place for

people without means and so forth.

Really basic stuff,

and a little about what happens right now.

I think I've worked it out,

the only problem is that there is so much history.

People who are coming to 'Aalborg' on a Saturday

expect a presentation about ...

Ungdomshuset and might not want the entire

history of the workers' movement.

'Copenhagen Central Station.

The train will continue in direction of ...'

A lot of people will want

to know about the trial,

and the situation at the house right now.

The party tonight is to support Ungdomshuset.

Peter who runs this place

is expecting a full house.

People have been buying tickets in advance.

Something we are not used

to at Ungdomshuset at all.

Our new ones look better.

Do you want me to put one over there?

Some of these posters

I haven't actually seen before.

'Let this new house of the workers witness

continuing prosperity.'

'Let it be a place of consolation in times of

hardship.'

'A place of light and peace.'

'when distress and unemployment

cast their heavy shadows

over the homes of the workers'.

well, that's how they phrased it back then.

Amagazine wrote then,

the purpose of the House

was to create a place for those,

who couldn't afford to go to Tivoli.

It's not just punks banging

metal bars against the radiators.

There's a great diversity

of people at the House.

... and then the phone

rings and someone goes,

'Hey man, the Christians

have entered the House'.

- They'd brought a lock smith,

locked themselves in,

and barricaded the house from the inside.

Heavily armed with canned

Spam and acoustic guitars.

... they are every bit as crazy as we are.

They are not normal rational

beings you can just scare off.

Every slap you give them,

brings them one step closer to God.

I actually don't know why they finally left ...

I think some of the guys told them to leave,

or they'd break every bone in their bodies.

Very diplomatic.

The Christians have orders

from God to buy the House,

and save the young people from damnation.

I've brought some posters on the coming

demonstration in Copenhagen.

It's scheduled for the first day of the trial.

There will be a big party in the House afterwards.

You are all welcome.

If I choose to throw bricks at

the police when we're demonstrating,

or if I choose to take some other

form of action, then it's my own decision.

If things get out of control,

if the demonstration is to rough for me,

I can at any point decide to leave.

If it's not my kind of fight,

I can leave at any time.

'21 year old Police man Peter' who

never asked to be a part of this,

and only joined the police to help old women

across the streets,

and prevent perverts from raping girls in the parks,

I mean, he's all good intentions.

If he's ordered to gun down a child

in the streets he has to obey the orders.

That's part of his job.

You have to live by those

rules when you're a cop.

I have no problems talking to

police officers when they're out of uniform.

I know some of them and

they're not my enemies at all.

But the both of us know

that when we meet in uniform,

- some might call this a uniform too -

then the situation is changed completely.

ln a police uniform you turn into a robot.

You have to obey your

superior's orders blindly.

Activists never have to obey orders.

we might have a lot of norms instead.

Like, 'I am 20 and I still haven't been charged with

anything yet'.

'Not even for setting fire to a garbage can.

I'm a poor rebel ...'

Thanks to all of you.

we really had to stay focused tonight

but it was an awesome concert.

On this tour, we've been

telling people all over the country,

how Ungdomshuset has an awesome crowd,

and it's full of good vibes.

Tonight was no exception.

I'm very satisfied with how it went tonight,

the only thing that went wrong

was when I messed up in the chords,

but then I sang a little louder

and hoped they wouldn't notice.

'Crust punk and Screamo'.

There are no other venues that will play

that type of music than Ungdomshuset.

Usually the concerts in

Ungdomshuset break even.

ln the weekends

it's really crowded in here.

Thats when we make the money.

That enables us to have

concerts like this one tonight.

How goes?

It's okay.

ls it okay if I just go right in?

Are you not staying for the concert?

Yes, I'm staying, but uhm ...

Then you have to pay the entrance fee.

God dammit!

I've brought stuff for the band

that they can't do without!

Yeah right?

Ok then, it's a cool concert

and a good place, so what the hell.

Thank you very much.

... I think we are being hard on

each other, but it's really disgusting ...

They are going to ask you tomorrow

at work, 'ls that eyeliner on your face?'

'No, I'm just really exhausted'.

... and the net morning I woke up,

'Fuck, I have to appear in court!',

so I hurried up, started to shave it off.

I had to put on a hat to cover it up.

Hey guys, guess who brought the beer?

Yeah!

Did you smear it out all over?

You have some blood there.

we're all totally wired up.

Screaming Mens' Torturing Voices

Do you have some lip stick?

Yes I have, but it's sort of purple.

Okay, that doesn't work.

Screaming mens' torturing voices.

Strange screaming men in dresses.

This horror of a record production.

when you turn on the radio

what you hear is 'I love you baby ...'

Dennis, I not sure about this outfit.

Pull it up, then ...

I think it's very nice.

Are you going to wear a hat, too?

lsn't that thing over there your hat?

This one?

This is my fascist helmet,

it's for the song 'Beauty Fascism'.

Really ...

That's so fabulous!

Everything on the radio is about dicks and chicks.

From 7 in the morning to 11 in evening.

So when you hear our lyrics,

you think they are oh so sexual ...

I mean, to us it's just

a natural part of our lives.

Dennis, all you sing about is ass holes!

Not only the ass holes, but also

what comes out of the ass holes.

And what goes in there ...

I knew this guy who moved

into this anarchist squat in Berlin.

It was a really dirty place,

full of empty beer bottles.

Every weekend all the guys there

went out to fight the police.

while all the punk girls were cooking.

So when the boys came home ...

Dinner was served for their big boys,

returning from battle.

It was all very good, but then these

two gay guys started questioning it,

'Hey, why are we doing all

the housework around here?'

So, all of sudden the straight guys

lost interest in the squat.

Because of these discussions.

So the gay guys and the girls

formed an alliance,

and made schedules

distributing the chores evenly,

and talked about feminism and identity.

Then the guys started to leave the squat

- they simply lost interest in it.

More and more gays joined the squat,

and it turned into the first

queer squat in Berlin.

'Tunden Haus', it's still there.

ln a way it was sort of a coup

from the inside.

All of this, just because

they put up a list of chores!

Our way of life is radically different

from that of the rest of the society.

ln terms of gender, economy

and the way we interact.

Because when you live like we do,

you have to deal with society in another way.

A lot of us have multiple identities.

Some people have great careers

and great lives, but it's just not enough.

I mean, they might be great at their jobs,

but that doesn't mean

they're happy people.

I mean, if you're married with two kids,

but spend all your weekends tied

up in an erotic swing with your ass naked,

in a gay sauna,

and you come home Monday

morning and have to go to work ...?

Once they opened a queer cafe in here,

and we gave them this giant poster,

of this really sexy punk guy,

with spiked hair in lots of bright colors,

and he's squatting down

on this giant dildo.

But the people here in

'Ungdomshuset' tore it down.

I guess some of the guys

in here were provoked by it.

ln here there's limited tolerance on some matters.

when men are around other men,

they have a way of talking to each other.

Even among transvestites and queers.

Bad language like, 'You dirty cunt'!

'Shut your fucking cunt'!

... for instance,

and so forth, and that

creates a conflict in here,

because in here everyone

agree upon veganism and anarchism,

and everyone hates the

big cooperations and so forth ...

we're so much more diverse.

If Ungdomshuset can't accept

a radical form of art, without taboos

about what can and cannot be said,

and without taboos about what attitudes

can or cannot be expressed ...

If that's not the case in here ...

Then this place is just as

prejudiced as the rest of society!

It's a problem with anarchists

everywhere, that they think in stereotypes.

ln here people are oh so political.

They are all fighting for the same causes,

but think of us gays as only interested

in parties and getting on stage.

I'm really offended by this, because the things we

do, and mainly what we are,

is every bit as political ...

as waving some

banner at a demonstration

The fact that we accept

people into our group,

like, a part time transvestite who

is head of office in Danske Bank.

I mean that's a political statement too.

You have to evolve and develop

other ways of expressing your opinions.

ln the Ungdomshus movement

there is a tendency to be a bit narrow minded.

- He is working in the Nordea bank

Oh, is it Nordea ... ?

The Dream or the Nightmare

I would like to thank the people

who cooked for us tonight,

and all the other activists

who's helping out tonight.

This net short song is called

'An open letter to the Danish Parliament'.

Sometimes I feel that It's really difficult for our

culture to be constructive and positive,

because our whole identity is defined

solely by the things we are against.

Sometimes this has been

a big problem in Ungdomshuset.

It's the root of a lot of conflicts in there.

we agree on what we don't want,

but what is it that we do want?

All rules and norms

in Ungdomshuset are ideals,

(Jacob, Copenhagen, summer)

All rules and norms

in Ungdomshuset are ideals,

and our way of collective decision-making

is the foundation of Ungdomshuset.

The monday night meetings

are so important to us,

but at the same time this ideal

is the one furthest from reality.

ln that way these

meetings are really a dream,

but a dream that sometimes

feels like a nightmare.

And people should

take time to reflect on,

whether they are a part of

making it a dream or a nightmare.

Some of the people in Ungdomshuset

manage to be part of almost all activities.

Take part in all the Monday night meetings

Take part in every demonstration.

These people are a very few,

but there are some who manage,

but those people are really unhappy.

It's a tough thing to say, but it's true.

They are really passionate, of course,

because thats how they live,

but it's just such a rough way of life.

It's so demanding

that they end up unhappy.

Do I manipulate people to hold certain opinions,

by arguing in a certain way?

Do I repress other people,

because I speak more eloquently ...

than other people in Ungdomshuset?

A lot of people at Ungdomshuset think I get a kick

out of being in the spotlight,

as the press spokesman of Ungdomshuset.

But unlike a lot of other people in there

I don't mind being in the spotlight.

That's my way of fighting for our cause.

But it's not like I want

to be the only spokesperson.

I have stepped down as

spokesman for Ungdomshuset.

I told them I will

step in again occasionally,

but then Ungdomshuset will

have to ask me to do it.

I had to stop because

apparently my presence

has been too dominating at times,

and I don't want to

dominate those meetings.

A lot of people stay away from those

meetings because it is a nightmare.

we are going to take

a new Ungdomshus.

But it's sort of 'hush, hush'.

Yes.

So don't call all you friends.

There is a room in here from old times

full of iron bars and old wooden doors.

I have to respond to the

critique of my person.

I'm too old to be part

of the future of this house.

That's for the young people in here

to do, they have the new ideas.

Lately I've been a temp.

I liked the idea

of having no strings attached,

and I wanted to dedicate most of

my attention to Ungdomshuset.

I used be involved in activities

in the evenings and at night,

and then it's just impossible to get up

at 7 and go to work in the kindergarten.

But then they offered me a

6 month contract,

and I was not sure what to do.

But then after a while I

grew keen on the idea.

First of all I am completely

crazy about these kids.

You really get a lot in return.

And the chance to save up some money.

Or ... to be honest,

to pay off some of my debt.

But to save up some money.

I really want to travel.

I have a dream of starting all

over somewhere new.

I really like Copenhagen and

the culture around Ungdomshuset,

but the movement here is really small.

It's always the same crowd

of people doing all the same things.

I guess that's why I want to move.

... oh yeah, a pirate's hat

and a patch on the eye.

If we're up here we can see them coming.

Those of us that don't want to be

arrested, can hurry down from there.

The police can't arrest

you for just being there.

On the other hand there are no guarantees.

Maybe Monday isn't the time to do this?

well, we chose Monday because

that's when the trial ends.

That is what we are trying to

draw attention to.

If we don't do it Monday

then what's the point?

My intention was a fun happening

rather than a militant demonstration.

we're just pretending to be pirates

- so throwing iron bars at

the police is out of line.

If the trial turns out badly

people might be really frustrated.

That's exactly my point.

Those people should do something else.

They can trash something or

someone in the city or whatever.

If people want to leave early,

the last boat leaves the fortress at 5 p.m.

we have to bring some food and water.

Yeah, let's bring some lunch.

Sometimes our culture is very

closed but right now it's just opening up wide.

People are really coming together,

because this is the time

to fight for our House.

It just grows stronger.

It doesn't matter how we fight.

whether it is nude manifestations in

the streets or barricades on fire,

because when Ungdomshuset

is under pressure from the outside,

then we all come together and fight for it.

Then we are able to accept

the differences among us,

and again, when there's no external pressure,

that's when conflicts arise,

because people in here want a

million different things.

It's always like that ...

People are always asking about the trial ...

And I really don't know anything.

It's so hard on us because

it has lasted forever now.

My life has been put on hold

because I don't know what's going to happen.

And that's the reason

why I can't leave right now,

because I don't know when

we have to fight for the house.

I don't want to be stuck in Amsterdam

when the police shows up at the house,

to remove us from there, if that happens.

That would be horrible.

I guess that's why I took the

6 month contract at work,

because that means I'll be staying.

Bjarne, he is a Mean Son of a Bitch

The trial doesn't really matter to us in here.

well, it's a bigger threat than usual,

but in it's essence it's the same as always.

No matter what the

system does, we are it's enemies.

That's why the system is

always trying to close us down.

If they don't succeed in

doing it this time around,

then they will have to do it later,

as our ideology demands us to

keep pushing the boundaries of the system.

So, at some point in time the

system will have to draw a line

for the people in Ungdomshuset.

Bjarne is a police officer.

Bjarne, he is a mean son of a bitch.

He is always in charge when

it comes to squatting and demonstrations,

everything that has to do with us.

If Bjarne is available, he is there in no time.

And he's mean as Hell.

when he is there

they always beat us more.

ln the beginning he was outside,

and people were really being beaten up.

Then he entered the house and people were

brutally pinned to the floor in leg-locks.

Two people passed out.

People outside told me that

they knew what was going on inside.

Through the windows you could

see light cones moving around the ceiling.

They were beating us

up with their big fat flashlights.

It was really brutal,

people was just being beaten.

when you're inside a house like

that there are no witnesses.

There are different strategies

when we are demonstrating.

(Anna, Copenhagen, Summer)

There are different strategies

when we are demonstrating.

(Anna, Copenhagen, Summer)

Is it going to be peaceful or are

we aiming for a confrontation?

ls it going to be peaceful or are

we aiming for a confrontation?

what's the strategy if we are

surrounded by the police?

where do I put this speaker?

May last year we demonstrated

against the European Union.

we were dressed all in black

and ready for any confrontation.

we were half-way there,

when all of a sudden out of nowhere ...

police cars and vans appeared,

and the police were all over.

I was just taking pictures of it all,

when I noticed a girl on

the other side of the street.

She was on the ground,

pinned down by three cops,

and she was screaming that

she was unable to breathe.

I was in panic and I yelled

at them to do something.

Then I tapped one of the

police officers on the shoulder.

And I said, 'You're being to rough on her ...'

'Look at her, she is screaming,

she can't breathe. Please help her'.

So he looked in her direction

and then back at me,

and yelled at me, 'This girl just hit me!'

He grasped me, banged me to the ground,

and then I was arrested.

That really pissed me off.

and I was like, 'Fuck you!'

I mean, he was wearing a helmet

and I barely touched him,

and I wasn't aggressive at all.

well, I was yelling at him.

I had to because of all the noise,

and I told him to get a grip,

but I really wasn't threatening.

I mean, I never said anything threatening.

'The naked truth is ...'

'That there are no places

left for us in Copenhagen'

'where are we now going to be naked?'

I was thinking, oh well, I'm going to be charged

with assault on an officer.

Shit, but so be it,

but when I'm pushed into the police van,

I see two minor girls sitting in there too.

what!

These tiny girls are lying like ...

The police put them in these completely fucked up,

really uncomfortable positions,

and officers restraining them.

I was thinking, come on,

they're both minors, you can't do that.

Go for your batons!

Down!

Get out of here!

Get them out of here!

Get back here!

Get them back here, dammit!

Look at the crowd, how can

we possibly control all of them?

I told the cops, that we can't

possibly control all these people.

we cannot control all these people,

we have to call off the demonstration.

Calm down, man!

we can't stop now.

Calm down! You don't really

want us to give up do you?

No, but then we will just ...

Now we are going to

follow you closely all the way.

why not back down?

No, we wont back ...

because this demonstration is getting out of

control, so we have to follow you.

So you have to make sure these

people behave, and as long as they do,

we will stay out of it ... Okay?

It was really brutal,

the police pulled him away.

They rushed forward

all of them holding batons.

Three of them were under cover.

when he was pulled inside,

and they pulled down the blinds ...

He was just beaten up.

what I heard was that

someone was tagging the wall.

when he was arrested,

people started to make a little trouble,

and from there it just grew bigger.

It didn't take long for the police

to surround us. It's always like that.

Overall it was a really good demonstration today.

The people in charge did really well,

even though they are very young.

They took charge, took the

microphone and told people to calm down.

Today the intention was very

peaceful and one big party.

Of course, you have to back

up your friends when they are arrested,

but as I said before, today

wasn't meant to be a confrontation.

Other demonstrations will

show what will happen,

if the police tries to remove us from here!

If they close us down, there will be

new places to replace it.

A new wave of squatting.

If the Christians move in here,

their house will be vandalized for years to come.

And our fight doesn't end

just because we lose Ungdomshuset.

Not for me, nor for

the rest of the movement.

The Verdict

we don't Operate under

any Constitution Over Here

Like that?

Like that!

ls the picture alright, Leif?

Great, but what do I do about that?

Do you want me to

switch places with Adam?

what do you think?

1 minute left ...

They are disappointed, they are sad,

about the outcome of the trial today.

Thats what we were told at the

press conference a little earlier.

we will return to that

in a little while, but first of all ...

The big meeting is still

going on upstairs right?

I think so ...

we have to point that out here.

I have to point out that the

meeting upstairs is still going on.

And they might decide things

that we don't know yet.

Obviously, people in here are angry

about the court's decision today.

we think this anger is justified and people can

express this anger however they want.

This is the decision we reached

at the meeting here in Ungdomshuset.

There has been actions of sympathy today in

Svendborg, Odense and Oslo ...

we have been ignored

for many years now.

Even though we have tried

to draw attention to this issue.

Through peaceful and

colorful happenings.

They have all been ignored, so other

forms of action may be necessary now.

Are you going to appeal

the court's decision?

Any further questions?

(Ungdomshuset is preparing the battle)

Maybe you could put the banner

on the lighthouse. It's a great background.

It was meant for sending

a message in a bottle.

Then we have drink it now?

I think there is a ladder over there.

Did anyone bring some tools?

So there is no way out of here?

we didn't bring rope to be

able to climb down?

No, we didn't have any ...

we might be able to get

down some other way.

But if we climb down to get

hold of that ladder?

It's too short, isn't it?

I think you can extend it.

well, let's see what happens ...

Yeah, but I'm going to be really disappointed

if everybody leaves tonight.

But we never discussed

sleeping out here.

I just thought we were all sleeping

out here until now. No one told me.

Yesterday a lot of us were really sceptic

about the idea of sleeping out here.

So people were like, 'Yeah, right ...'

Okay.

Just don't say it, if you're not going to do it.

Does anyone have a lighter

with a bigger flame than this one?

I am going to go mad if I'm stuck

here and unable to light my cigarettes.

Auch, it's hot now!

we brought forty swords and we

don't even have any lighter that works.

I'm laughing so much it put out the flame.

Oh God ...

It sure works slow.

... like a senior's club-

I completely forgot to bring the knife.

It's just like we stood in the rain at

that anti-Bush demonstration.

were you lighting flags?

we did that too, but we had

the most problems with the ropes.

Push it upwards.

Do you have a pole or something?

Next step is to draw up

our declaration of independence.

we don't operate under

any constitution over-here.

But are working on a

separation from the Danish state.

we discussed the possibility of

sending a message in a bottle to

Kofi Annan with a request not

to be admitted into the UN.

Now we are just going

to have a nice time out here.

And try to imagine what it's going

to be like to have this island.

we're starting at the top floor

and working our way down from here.

But each individual their own idea,

it's a free society now.

... he would get in trouble

if he didn't call the Police.

So we accepted this and are getting

ready for the battle when they .

Load the cannons or something.

Did he have to call the Police?

Yes, otherwise he would get in

trouble with the National Heritage Council.

who said that?

The guy who runs the restaurant here.

He was cool about us being here.

It's always nice with a little

attention from the media.

He was just curious how

long we were planning to stay.

How do you get up there?

ou can't get up here.

The fortress has been conquered.

we have barricaded the doors.

It's ours now ...

who wants to join me and talk to the press?

I don't want to be the only one.

It's a bit sad with just one pirate there.

we're just discussing

who will be talking to you.

On the TV-News it looks better if it's

more than just one person talking.

I mean it.

Go for it!

You were talking to

1200 people just last night.

Me?

But I feel really sick,

... all of a sudden.

I don't want to do it

when I'm not feeling well.

Sure, fair enough

what about you, Jacob?

Sure, I don't mind.

There has just been some critique

of the fact that I'm always

the one talking to the press.

Maybe we could be a

whole group of pirates there?

we are pirates from Jagtvej 69

and we have taken the fortress ...

as our new squat.

we don't think there are

places enough for people like us.

And now they are planning

to evict us from Ungdomshuset.

we really don't care

about the justice system.

what matters to us is

the political responsibility.

That the politicians step in

and preserve places like Ungdomshuset.

This is all staged for the press.

when you come, the politicians listen.

Ready?

No!

I forgot my bag!

You are now all under arrest!

we will be coming up to get you.

Resistance will be punished.

Let's go.

Be careful Bjarne, the doors are antique.

Having trouble getting in, Bjarne?

Harder!

Come on!

Kick it again ...

watch out!

Bring me the hammer!

Move!

Move!

Get down!

Place them against

the wall and 'cuff them, now!

You guys, get down here now!

Or I'll come and get you ...

Get down here!

Not another step, get down here now!

I am warning you, egghead!

who the hell do you think you are?

Sit!

Sit!

I feel like I'm in the eighth episode of '24'.

Bjarne, my 'cuffs are too tight!

'Sixteen in custody, roger-over'

we are not the ones

who want the confrontation.

what do you mean by confrontation?

If the politicians refuse to act,

and the Christians send

the Police here to Jagtvej 69,

then you will have your confrontation.

And what will you do?

Tie yourselves to the walls,

or collect bricks for ammunition?

we will not leave the house voluntarily.

And as mentioned there are no restrictions

on how people may express their anger.

And we cannot guarantee the safety

of the Police once they enter this house.

(Anna, Ungdomshuset, fall)

I've been so stressed out and busy,

It has made me deeply unhappy.

So I really don't know how much

longer I can go on living like this.

I haven't had the time to see my

friends and I have treated them badly

... and my family too.

It has been really awful.

It's so frustrating because I'm so

absorbed in this fight for Ungdomshuset.

And I can't stand the thought of

not being here when that time comes.

And right now it's

important for me to be here too.

Although I like my job,

it takes up a lot of time and energy.

I just try to manage but it's not

fair to anyone that I'm so stressed out.

So it has really been awul lately.

I really feel the pressure up close now.

It's such a heavy weight on us that the

police can be here in less than two weeks.

The uncertainty of not knowing

when it's going to happen.

while we are building the

strongest barricades possible in here.

But the barricades will only delay them.

It will not stop them.

They will get in here anyways.

we're only building them to gain time.

I hope I will be alerted

in advance when they come,

so that I can be in here and

fight along with all the rest of us.

On that day our internal

conflicts doesn't matter anymore.

The pressure affects

us in a positive way too.

we're really coming together

while working on the house.

For instance they are

working on the bathroom upstairs,

so we are not only barricading the house.

I has that effect too.

And it's people of all

ages coming in to help out.

I can't stand the thought of losing

this house. I simply can't grasp it.

But even if we lose the house,

our fight will not stop.

New things will always arise.

New sub cultures, new movements

and new venues for concerts.

But the battle for

Ungdomshuset will also continue.

The Christians will realize that

this house is completely useless.

They are surrounded by enemies.

we all live just around the corner.

And they can't sell it either,

as long as we still feel that it belongs to us.

what I fear most of all is

that they drag it out forever.

That months pass

and one cold winter morning

they arrest someone

holding a key to the house,

and then we've lost Ungdomshuset.

But I really have to stop thinking like that,

because then it's pointless to

spend all my time building barricades.

For instance, they can

easily tear down a wall.

That would render the

barricades completely useless.

Or they could get hold

of a key and lock themselves in.

But that's a train of thought

we all have to put aside.

we need to believe that it

serves a purpose, and it does...

for the mentality in here

and for the community as such.

This level of activity in

the house is so overwhelming.

So many great things

are going on right now.

Our cafe is open everyday

and every night we eat dinner together.

It's so nice.

And so we all invest our hearts and souls

in it right now. we're in it 100 percent.

But we can't remain on standby for months,

because if it doesn't happen soon

it will be such an unfulfilled ending.

Now we have been preparing

for a Big Bang for months.

we want to feel that we decided to

fight and that we chose how and when.

But we can't, because we would

never close down the house ourselves.

That's the hard part.

waiting for the police to be ready.

For them to get everything

in order for the eviction.

And we're probably not

ready when they come?

Maybe there is only five people inside?

Those people will be beaten up severely.

The police have build up so

many frustrations over the years.

I think it will be so brutal

and really horrible.

Both for those outside the house

but really awul for those inside.

LyNX