This morning at 5 a.m. [local time] police swept into Christiania, Copenhagen's famed hippie enclave, and arrested 53 people in a major crackdown on the up-to-now open sale of hashish.
Those arrested will be charged with selling drugs and could face up to 10 years in prison.
What gives? Last Friday, March 26, the government pushed through parliament a tough new set of penalties for cannabis-related crimes.
Drugs have always been illegal in Denmark, though up to now authorities have tolerated the sale of hashish in Christiania.
Klaus Trier Tuxon, chairman of the Hemp party, said, "This law goes against Denmark's traditional tolerance. Denmark is the Holland of the north."
Apparently not any longer.
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