Climate activists have been resisting the eviction of the brown coal village of Lützerath for days.Image: dpa / Thomas Banneyer
Germany
For three days, activists have been blocking the evacuation of the village of Lützerath, which the energy company RWE wants to dredge up in order to extract the lignite underneath. How many activists are still holding out is not entirely clear. What is certain, however, is that they are using all means to prevent the eviction.
As it became known on Thursday, they have dug a tunnel under the village in which two activists are holed up. The technical relief organization had tried in vain to get the two out during the night. On Friday, the first farms in the village are to be demolished and more trees are to be cleared.
You can find out what’s happening in Lützerath in our live ticker. Here you can read how the second day of the eviction went on Thursday.
8.36 a.m .: Habeck reprimands protests and sees Lützerath as a “wrong symbol”
Climate Protection Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) has little understanding for the protests in Lützerath. “Lützerath is simply the wrong symbol,” Habeck told the “Spiegel”. The village would not stand for a continuation of the Garzweiler opencast lignite mine in the Rhineland, but “it’s the end of the line,” said Habeck.
Economics Minister Robert Habeck emphasizes that the evacuation of Lützerath is necessary. Image: IMAGO/NTB
They prefer the phase-out of coal in the coal mining area there by eight years to 2030, which was only made possible by the demolition of Lützerath. “We save five towns and farms with around 450 residents. The Hambacher Forest has been secured. The approved mining volume for coal in opencast mines was halved as a result of the agreement.”
8.23 a.m .: Activists want to chain themselves in the tunnel
The two activists in the tunnel under Lützerath are determined to chain themselves as soon as an attempt is made to get them out, a spokeswoman said of the “Lützerath is alive” initiative on Friday morning. According to “Lützerath Leben” the people are a good four meters deep. There is a “ventilation system”.
A first rescue attempt by the Technical Relief Agency had failed during the night. It was initially unclear when a new attempt would be made. The police said they couldn’t make eye contact with the people, but could talk to them.
(with material from dpa)
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