An ongoing protest attended by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg against the expansion of a German coal mine has once again descended into violent clashes between demonstrators and police.
On Friday, teenage activist Greta Thunberg arrived in the German village of Luetzerath, which is set to be demolished in order to make way for the expansion of the Garzweiler coal mine, which is seen as critical to ensuring the country’s energy security as the standoff between Russia and the West over the war in Ukraine has seen the economic powerhouse of Europe scramble to marshal coal supplies to replace the energy typically provided by gas purchased from Moscow.
“You are change, you are hope.” Thunberg told the crowd of climate activists on Saturday, according to the Der Spiegel newspaper.
“We are still here, Lützerath is still there,” she said, claiming that the fight is not over as long as the coal remains in the ground, adding: “We won’t give up.”
According to police, the protest, which began earlier this week, has swelled to between 8,000 to 10,000 people.
In order to prevent the numbers from growing further, officers erected a double fence around the area, which Der Spiegel noted has been used to stop anyone from coming or going, including journalists.
Following the speech from Thunberg, violent clashes between the police and protestors were seen, with activists launching fireworks at the riot gear-clad officers and the police in turn chasing down and beating people with their batons.
While squaring off with police, the crowd was heard chanting: “Protecting climate is not a crime!” and “you are not alone!”
In an attempt to deter further violence from the crowd, the police reportedly issued threats of turning water cannons on the group.
The local Aachen Police President, Dirk Weinspach, criticised the leftist demonstrators’ use of violent tactics, saying: “I am absolutely horrified at how normal meeting participants let themselves be carried away to enter the absolute danger area here.”
Police clashed with protesters during a large-scale protest to stop the demolition of the village Luetzerath to make way for an open-air coal mine extension on January 14, 2023. In an operation launched earlier this week, hundreds of police have been working to remove activists, who have already occupied the hamlet of Luetzerath in western Germany. (Photo by INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty Images)
Last year, the German utility company RWE came to an agreement with the regional government that would allow the small village to be destroyed to make way for an expansion of the existing coal mine in the area.
RWE has argued that it is essential that the project to go forward in order to ensure the energy security of the nation.
As a result of over a decade of the government pursuing a green agenda and leaving the country vulnerable to international events, given its dependence on foreign gas and oil, Germany has been forced to sideline its green goals and re-open and expand coal mining operations as Russian gas shipments dwindled.
Climate activist Greta Thunberg stands on stage in front of the assembled demonstrators. The demonstration by climate activists on the edge of the open-cast lignite mine near Lützerath is taking place under the slogan “Prevent eviction! For climate justice”. (Photo by Henning Kaiser/dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images)
The climate activists, for their part, have argued that the expansion of the coal mine contradicts international agreements Germany has made on climate change.
“We expect thousands of people to protest at Europe’s biggest dirt hole, the fight is not yet lost… Lützerath is alive,” protest spokeswoman Bente Opitz said.
Raphael Thelen of the radical Last Generation climate change activist group said: “The Greens are embarrassed to the bone and the rest of the government now also knows the price of dealing with the climate movement.”
Follow Kurt Zindulka on Twitter here @KurtZindulka
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