The news agency "Welt" (and others) report on an incident that happened yesterday afternoon (09/20 18)
welt.de Journalist-stirbt-nach-Sturz-von-Baum-im-Hambacher-Forst
In the Hambacher Forest tree lodges are demolished by law enforcement to remove activists, who want to prevent the final destruction of the 12000 year old forest by RWE corporation.
RWE needs the area to widen the already 400m deep hole to dig for lignite.
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| Source Google Maps |
Lignite is used to produce energy at the highest environmental costs possible.
As there are talks in Germany to reduce CO2 output and in this process to stop generating energy by burning lignite, RWE wants to force the final act.
Last weekend 09/16 18 7000 humans protested peacefully against this tragical loss of nature sole for the monetary benefit of a single company.
RWE is interwoven with the governement of the State of North-Rhine-Westphalia (NRW).
The current prime minister of NRW is also member of the board of RWE.
NRW government has pulled some legal tricks to declare the lodges all of a sudden to generic buildings so the government, in the aftermath, stated that these buildings are NOT according to fire hazard regulations and have to be put down and the activists removed for their "own safety".
So, since Thursday 09/13 activists are forcefully removed and tree lodges are put down.
The forest is encircled by 4000 law enforcement officers.
People who want to enter the forest are held off by use of physical force, pepper spray and batons.
Sunday afternoon a fight between supporters and law enforcement ended with 8 people injured.
Yesterday a reporter, who joined the activists now for several month, decided to report from the tree lodge level (20m / 60ft). The tree lodges are connected by hanging bridges.
Special police forces tried to "free" an activist from a tree near such a hanging bridge. The reporter tried to get near the incident, the hanging bridge gave way and the guy dropped 15m - 20m.
At first a rescue squad could reanimate him but he died eventually.
Mr Reul, CDU, minister of the interior of the state of NRW, consequently stopped the eviction for the time beeing.
It always needs a dead hero to make people think.
