Pusher Street – The Weird Side of the Internet

Pusher Street – The Weird Side of the Internet – by Liam Sweeny.

Did you know that Copenhagen, Denmark, has hippies? In fact, not only do they have hippies, they have a place in the city – the Christiana neighborhood. Mostly known for a 328 foot street called, get this, “Pusher Street.”

Actually, the hippies started squatting in Copenhagen in 1973, in a derelict naval base. They haven’t always had a rosy relationship with the city, fighting with them over selling drugs, mainly cannabis products, for four decades.

But this has changed. In fact, the old hippies are tearing down the once famous Pusher Street to get rid of the hash stands. It has little to do with a change in their lifestyle or personal philosophy, and everything to do with the fact that they’re not selling the hash anymore – the Hells Angels are.

Not just Hells Angels, other gangs who see it as just business, just territory. Because “Pusher Street” is where Copenhagen tourists get their hash. And we live in the free market, so supply of ball peen hammers versus demand for intact skulls, carry the 3…

It’s interesting that the Christiana Neighborhood recently stopped being a ‘squat’ as the property it is on was properly bought for a foundation started by the community for $12.5 million. So now they own it. Not it’s truly their responsibility. And now they’re cleaning up.

I have to wonder a thing… can you truly care about your home if you’re squatting? And of course you may be driven to argue that it isn’t actually your home, and I may be driven to hang my heart on a barber pole and camp out front. Yeah, it’s pointless to argue with me. But “home” means many things to many people. And after living in a derelict naval base for over forty years, you might have memories.

So maybe actually owning the place made all the difference. Or maybe just times have changed. But the hippies are busting drugs, so there’s that.

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