Lützerath clearance continues – even in the dark

Germany

The second day of the evacuation of Lützerath is underway. In cold, wet weather and strong winds, some climate activists are still holding out in the abandoned village, which is to be demolished for the expansion of the adjacent brown coal mine. The RWE energy company, which owns the village, has had the site fenced off. The last gaps in the one and a half kilometer fence are to be closed during Thursday.

You can find out what’s happening in Lützerath in our live ticker. Here you can read how the first day of the eviction went on Wednesday.

7.04 p.m .: Lützerath clearance continues – even in the dark

In the lignite town of Lützerath, the clearing continues on Thursday evening, even in the dark. “Objects that have been addressed are still being processed,” said a police spokesman. Even activists who would have cemented themselves or chained themselves would be freed despite the darkness. “In such cases we have to provide help,” said the spokesman. However, it is not planned to clear other buildings during the night.

Parts of Lützerath were brightly lit by searchlights. Trees were felled and bushes removed, as reported by a dpa reporter. Wooden houses were also demolished in the dark.

5.45 p.m .: On Friday it’s farmhouses on the collar

During the clearing of the Rhenish lignite town of Lützerath on Friday, the symbolic houses of the former residents will come into focus. So far, excavators have only leveled the activists’ wooden huts and barricades.

5.42 p.m .: Policewoman in Lützerath slightly injured by firecrackers

According to the police, a policewoman was slightly injured by a firecracker on Thursday in Lützerath. The officer was hit in the leg, but was able to remain on duty, a spokesman said. “Do not throw anything against the emergency services – this is not a peaceful protest! We will report every attack!” the police wrote on Twitter.

5.12 p.m .: Climate activist Luisa Neubauer was also carried away by the police

The well-known activist Luisa Neubauer was among the activists who were carried away from the access road to the lignite mining town of Lützerath. She had gathered there with around 100 activists for a sit-in. The participants were surrounded by the police and gradually carried away or taken away. Finally, three officers also carried Fridays for Future activist Neubauer away with the help of their multi-purpose sticks.

Luisa Neubauer was also carried away.Image: dpa / Federico Gambarini

4:53 p.m .: RWE confirms cooperation with the police in the removal of activists

RWE confirmed on Twitter that they provided buses to the police to take away activists. Corresponding video recordings had caused a stir on Wednesday.

“In this case we provide administrative assistance, the subsoil requires cross-country mobility”, wrote the energy company. The buses would otherwise be used in opencast mining to transport workers. The costs for this can be reimbursed, explained RWE. So that means charging the police or the state. The Aachen police left a question from watson on the subject unanswered.

3:03 p.m .: Alleged tunnel system under Lützerath should delay evacuation

The activists have apparently dug a tunnel under Lützerath to prolong the evacuation of the village. “Eviction equipment must stop immediately in front of the undermined area, otherwise there is a risk of death”, they write on their Youtube channel. A video can also be seen that is supposed to show two activists in the alleged tunnel under Lützerath.

The police are aware of this and are currently examining the situation, officials announced on Twitter.

2.15 p.m .: Clearing allows the first demolitions and tree felling

A spokesman for the Aachen police said the evacuation was progressing step by step. As soon as individual buildings are free, the energy company RWE, as the owner, can start demolishing, said a spokesman.

Videos shared on social networks have already shown tree felling and demolition work by construction vehicles. However, the police continued to encounter resistance. According to the spokesman, some activists were chained. According to this, officials continued to be thrown at with pyrotechnics and paint bags.

1:11 p.m .: Activists around Neubauer encircled by the police

On the access road to the lignite town of Lützerath, the police surrounded several dozen participants in a demonstration on Thursday, including Fridays for Future activist Luisa Neubauer and Greenpeace board member Martin Kaiser. The demonstrators, who were sitting blocking the way, were surrounded by police officers. “We want to stay here until we are carried away,” said Neubauer of the German Press Agency. According to Neubauer, the police occasionally used pepper spray against activists.

FFF activist Luisa Neubauer was also surrounded by the police. Image: dpa / Federico Gambarini

A police spokesman gave a reason for the police action. According to this, the participants were on their way to the edge of the opencast mine. According to the police, a dangerous undertaking that must be prevented. The spokesman said he could neither confirm nor rule it out.

12:18 p.m .: Activists are initially reporting small successes against police operations

When clearing the lignite town of Lützerath, RWE would like to carry out demolition and tree felling work with the support of the police on Thursday. Activists are now reporting on Twitter what is happening on site. Accordingly, they partially stood in the way of the police, so that demolition work had to be stopped.

12.02 p.m .: According to the police, tree felling and demolition work are planned

When clearing the lignite town of Lützerath, the police announced demolition and tree felling work for this Thursday. These are carried out by RWE, the group owns the village. If the police declare an area secured, work will begin, said an RWE spokesman. “Safety for everyone involved is the top priority.”

He declined to say where the demolition work will be. However, massive buildings will probably not be affected by demolition work so quickly because there are still people there.

11.12 a.m .: Journalists should sign a waiver of liability

After reports of journalists being denied access to the scene, the police addressed them directly on Twitter: Because of the tree felling and demolition work, RWE is therefore asking the journalists present to sign a waiver of liability. In addition, wearing a helmet and high-visibility vest is mandatory.

8.40 a.m .: Eviction continues – police enter the homestead

The police continue to comb house by house and courtyard by courtyard in Lützerath. On Thursday morning, emergency services entered a farmstead, reports a dpa reporter. They sawed a hole in a gate and gained access through it. A large yellow banner with the inscription “1.5°C means: Lützerath stays!” hangs on the farmstead, which is known from photos. Some activists who were inside were taken away. A little later, the police drove a lifting platform to the courtyard of the homestead.

Climate activists are holed up in the empty houses and courtyards of Lützerath.Image: dpa / Oliver Berg

8.39 a.m .: Police are asking activists to leave Lützerath

On Thursday morning, the police asked the remaining activists to leave the brown coal town of Lützerath. Among other things, via loudspeakers. As a dpa reporter reported, numerous police officers gathered on the outskirts of Lützerath.

Activists have tied themselves to self-made poles to block the eviction of Lützerath. Image: dpa / Federico Gambarini

7.53 a.m .: According to Aachen’s police chief, all halls will be cleared today

After the start of the clearance work in Lützerath, Aachen’s police chief Dirk Weinspach drew a positive interim balance. “The evictions in the Lützerath area are now proceeding according to plan,” said Weinspach in the ZDF “Morgenmagazin” on Thursday. “The clearing of the halls, which started yesterday, will most likely be completed today.” After that, the police continue the evacuation “step by step” and advance against individual tree houses and buildings.