Many sympathizers make excuses for CHAZ. In a New York Times news story it was described as “a homeland for racial justice.” Liberal blogger Steve Leslie says of CHAZ: “As far as internal governance goes, there is none of course. . . . It’s probably most similar to Freetown Christiania which is an intentional commune in the borough of Christianshavn in the city of Copenhagen, Denmark.”

Christiania was formed in 1971, when hippie squatters took over a vacant 19-acre military base in Copenhagen and declared independence. While it’s seen changes, Christiania still exists and will mark its 50th anniversary next year.

It was — and is — an interesting experiment. But let’s hit the pause button before anyone thinks CHAZ is going to adopt what Christiania’s advocates call its “tenets of individual responsibility and communal harmony.” I have been to Christiania and gotten the full tour from one of its leading “citizens.” Here are the major differences I see…