Opponents of lignite-fired power generation are still holding out in Lützerath. At an anti-coal demonstration, there were injuries in clashes between police and participants. The eviction is set to continue today.
The police want to continue the evacuation of the village of Lützerath on the edge of the Garzweiler lignite opencast mine today. According to the police, climate activists are still staying on the village site, which has been cordoned off since Wednesday, for example in tree houses. Two activists also stayed in a tunnel under a building. How many coal opponents are still on the site is not known.
The energy company RWE spoke on Saturday of preparations to get the two activists out of the tunnel. “A rescue concept is being worked on,” said a company spokesman. One is also in contact with external experts and the technical relief organization. “The two sitting down there say they are doing well.” They would have no problems with fresh air.
The village of Lützerath, a district of Erkelenz west of Cologne, has been cordoned off by the police for days and is surrounded by a double fence. The few buildings in the settlement will be demolished to enable the energy company RWE to excavate the lignite underneath. On the other hand, many thousands of people demonstrated in the neighboring district of Keyenberg on Saturday. The police spoke of 15,000 participants, the organizers estimated the number at 35,000.
Clashes between protesters and police
On the fringes of the demonstration, there were clashes between demonstrators and the police. According to police, people were injured on both sides. The exact number of injured and the circumstances that led to the injuries were not initially known. According to the police, around 1,000 mostly masked “troublemakers” had tried to get into the cordoned-off village area. To repel them, the police used water cannons, batons and pepper spray. It was not initially announced whether there were arrests.
According to the police, individual demonstrators also attacked police vehicles and threw pyrotechnics in the direction of the officers. A spokesman said tires were punctured and wing mirrors kicked off.
The energy company RWE announced in the evening that they were “appalled at the aggression and violence that emanated from some of the activists”. This has nothing to do with the otherwise peaceful demonstration. “Anyone who completely uninhibitedly throws stones and firecrackers at police officers and tries to break through barricades is not criticizing energy policy, but is attacking the social foundations of our constitutional state.”
The main speaker at the rally was Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. “Lützerath is still there, and as long as the coal is still in the ground, this fight is not over,” said the 20-year-old to the cheers of the audience.
Source: Stern
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