With a large contingent on Wednesday morning, the police advanced into parts of the Hambach forest, which activists have long occupied in protest against a planned lignite mining. According to information from the German Press Agency were several hundred officials in action.
According to a police spokesman, employees of the energy company RWE wanted to start clearing away obstacles on the forest floor. The police protect the workers. The demolition of tree houses, which are inhabited by land clearing opponents for some years, is not planned, the police said on Twitter. There were also no arrests planned Baumhausbewohnern, said police spokesman in the morning in loudspeaker announcements.
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Clearance of the meadow camp, of tree houses or similar buildings are not planned. The #Policei #Aachen appeals to all concerned: be peaceful and follow the instructions of the police officers! #HambacherForst
RWE Power wants to cut down more than 100 of the remaining 200 hectares of forest for lignite mining, which would be possible from the beginning of the clearing season from 1 October. Against the deforestation there has long been violent protests by local forest squatters. In addition, a broad coalition of nature and climate protectors calls for a clearing-stop, as long as the nationwide coal commission in Berlin is in dialogue with each other.
In the major action, the police also want to secure evidence of crimes committed by protesters. In the past there had been multiple violent attacks on police officers in the forest. Excavators started clearing obstacles on forest roads in the morning.
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picture alliance / dpa