Boy, The Revolution Sure Is Stupid

Nothing makes me chuckle more than a good old fashioned leftist riot, particularly when you have young folks who are a little unsure as to just "why" they are doing what they are doing.

Protests Follow Riots in Danish Capital

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - Some 3,000 people demonstrated Saturday against the closure of an abandoned building that has served as a center for anarchists, leftists and punk rockers, following two nights of riots that left parts of the Danish capital strewn with burning cars and shattered glass.

More than 500 people, including scores of foreigners, have been arrested since the riots started Thursday. Authorities said 207 were arrested early Saturday following overnight clashes in which demonstrators pelted police with cobblestones and set fire to cars.

Demonstrators marched peacefully Saturday toward the so-called ``Youth House,'' where an anti-terror squad evicted squatters on Thursday. Hundreds of police followed from a distance and sealed off streets around the disputed building.

``The idea of an alternative society is good,'' said Berit Larsen, 57, as she watched the demonstration pass. ``We need to have room for everyone, but the violence we have seen is not what I consider an alternative way for society.''

A school was vandalized and several buildings damaged by fire overnight. One protester was reportedly wounded in the violence early Saturday, while 25 were injured the night before.

``In the last 10 years we haven't had riots like we've seen in the past two days,'' police spokesman Flemming Steen Munch said. Police searched more than 10 homes in Copenhagen in an effort to track down activists, he said.

Meanwhile, vandals covered Copenhagen's famed Little Mermaid statue with pink paint. Police could not say whether the vandalism was linked to the riots.

Nothing expresses your political convictions better than painting a statue of a fairy tale character pink. It is just so crystal clear. Yes sir-ee, no mistaking that.

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The building at the center of the recent riots, known as "the youth house," has been viewed as free public housing by young squatters since the 1980s. The eviction had been planned since last year, when courts ordered the squatters to hand the building over to a Christian congregation that bought it six years ago.

The squatters refused, saying the city had no right to sell the building, which has become a hub for cultural events and concerts, featuring performers like Australian Nick Cave and Icelandic singer Bjork. They have demanded another building for free as a replacement.

So they can bring in big commercial artists for rock concerts but they can't save some money to get a place of their own? hmmm...

I have to wonder what the political statement is supposed to be here. Is it some stand against the idea of personal property? Well if it is how could you claim the following:

``This is a display of anger and rage after more than seven years of struggle to keep what is ours,'' Jan, a 22-year-old activist who said he has been coming to the building for the last 10 years, told The Associated Press by telephone. He declined to give his last name, saying that was the norm among the people frequenting the building.

"Yeah, man. Down with your property rights, you fascist pigs! Only we have the right to property!"

That makes sense.

Police said the protesters were a mix of left-wing extremists and youth vandals with no clear political motive.

I wonder how they were able to tell the difference? Which group would be wearing the "Bjork" t-shirts?

On a more ominous note, it seems that some in this "Youth group" were planning on killing police officers when they were evicted.

The initial task of removing squatters from the collective went smoothly. Even though a state of siege had reigned for months over the building that had served as a gathering place for the city's alternative youths for more than two decades, special task forces were able to penetrate the building early Thursday morning.

In a well-timed operation, a helicopter landed on the building's roof to deposit officers who stormed the building. On the street below, a military fire truck sprayed foam into the building to disorient the occupants, while a crane lifted other officers into the building.

Within fifteen minutes, police had gained control of the building and arrested 36 people, including 17 young people from abroad.

During an impromptu press tour, assistant police chief Flemming Steen Munch showed reporters the stash of homemade weapons the collective's occupants had planned on using against police.

It is also clear that many neighbors of the "Youth House" are glad to see it gone:

'There's clearly a feeling of relief,' said Martin Stahl, a spokesperson for 125 neighbours to Ungdomshuset. 'And I don't think that's the case only for neighbours and Nørrebro residents. It's everybody who has discussed Ungdomshuset and is for or against - police, politicians. Yeah, even the young people themselves, I think.'

If leftist youth really want someplace to congregate, to enjoy music, party, discuss political philosophy you don't really understand, etc, I have a suggestion...make it yourself...PAY for it yourself. If you want to build something, build it yourself.

Stop chanting, "Gimme, gimme, gimme!"