At least 75 arrested in Copenhagen street clashes

COPENHAGEN, Mar 1 (Reuters) Danish police arrested at least 75 people in Copenhagen today in violent street clashes after authorities evicted squatters from a youth centre, a police spokesman said.

Scores of demonstrators threw cobblestones at police and set makeshift barricades on fire. Officers in riot gear chased protesters through the streets as police vans smashed through the barricades.

Copenhagen police spokesman Flemming Steen Munch said authorities had the house under control after a morning raid which saw officers land in helicopters on the building roof.

''Now a lot of gangsters are rioting in the streets, building barriers, throwing bottles and so on,'' he said. ''It is a bit confusing right now. We are trying to control the area and prevent new riots.'' The conflict over the youth centre has been simmering since 2000 when local government sold the building that houses the centre to a religious group. Left-wing activist have been using the centre as a base since 1982.

The current owners have a court order to have squatters evicted but the youths have sworn to protect the house and have repeatedly called for a political solution.

Police and demonstrators clashed several times last fall during protests over the eviction order.

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