Police on Tuesday began dismantling barricades and dispersing activists protesting an expansion of an open-pit coal mine that highlighted tensions over Germany’s climate policy amid an energy crisis.
The protesters, many wearing masks or balaclavas, demonstrated against the Garzweiler mine, operated by energy company RWE in the abandoned village of Luetzerath, which is part of the lignite district of the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
They have formed human chains, organized protests and occupied abandoned buildings in Luetzerath, which will be destroyed to make way for the expansion of the mines. Some buried themselves in holes in the ground, while others hung from wooden tripods.
“Do you consider this a peaceful eviction? What you’re doing is ridiculous, how can you not embarrass yourself?” a protester said as police dragged away activists who were sitting in a muddy street.
The protests highlight growing tensions over Berlin’s climate policy, which environmentalists say took a back seat during the energy crisis that hit Europe last year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, forcing a return to dirtier fuels .
The issue is particularly sensitive for the Greens, who have returned to power in Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition government after 16 years of opposition from 2005 to 2021.
Many Greens oppose the expansion of the mine, but the party’s Economy Minister Robert Habeck has defended the government’s decision. Some activists dumped 250 kg of coal blocks in front of the local Green Party headquarters, German media reported.
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Source: Terra
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
