Getting a move on! Against murderous brown coal – for an anarchist perspective
Since sunday evening we are once again blocking the rails of the Hambachbahn, which is transporting lignite coal from the Hambach Open Cast Mine to the power plants Niederaußem, Frimmersdorf, Neurath and Goldenberg. For RWE, it’s the only way of transporting the huge masses of coal being excavated in Hambach.
We are doing this in accordance with many other small autonomous group actions happening all year round in the Rhine area.
The coal railway is the choke point, the achilles heel of lignite mining in this region. Even though the power plants are also connected to the Garzweiler mine, they can’t be operated without coal from Hambach, due to differences in quality.
Can we manage to shut down the power plants with this action? We don’t know, but probably not. Nevertheless we consider it quite useful, especially combined with other actions happening in the area this weekend, we could put RWE in a truly threatened position. Also, this time we are more effective than ever before!
We are escalating – because in a time where global warming progresses faster than ever and is far from being stopped, we think that the climate movement has to keep on taking more drastic measures – the time of talking, waiting and doing symbolic actions is over.
Fighting lignite mining also means fighting for a liberated society.
We see our action in a greater context: The fight against brown coal is not only a factual necessity, it’s also a revolutionary strategy. Environmental destruction shows that capitalism as an economy based on competition will always thwart solutions to problems like this. It’s only possible with the state’s support as complex power construct.
Occupying railway tracks might not seem very revolutionary at first sight, but every time has their strategy. Direct confrontation will follow as the movement gains more momentum.

Ticker August 16 & 17

18:50 In the area of Heppendorf two people went on the railway and locked themselves on! Press release will follow shortly
19:15 Police and security appear at the lock-on action. Police failed in pulling people out of the lock ons and is preparing for a longer eviction
20:30 Police seems overburdened. The technical team apparently already quit for the day, so they seem content in dumping gravel on the tracks
21:00 THW (Technisches Hilfswerk) was seen bringing a digger on site, but they are apparently not involved
21:30 RWE is putting up floodlights, preparing for a long night
22:00 They don’t seem very successful in putting up the lights. A locomotive with an excavator shovel on the front appears
22:30 The technical team arrived now, the lights were removed again, everything is lit by small lights
22:45 A pavillion is being put up. TEE (technical unit) starts cutting through the railway tracks
23:30 First Lock-on is cut. One person removed from the tracks
00:00 Both persons are cut out and are being removed while howling can be heard. Lock-ons are removed, one track is cut completely
00:00 There is a second lock-on blockade at Bergheim, two people chained to tracks
01:09 No police there so far. Two rail cars were operating with RWE and police knowing about people on the tracks
01:30 Two securities appeared, and definitely noticed the blockade
01:50 TEE (technical unit) arrived at second blockade
02:20 Removal of second lock-on started
03:30 First lock-on is opened, work on second one started
04:00 Three arrested people have been released, two still in captivity at unknown place
04:15 Another group with 7 people and 4 V-Locks (pipe construction to lock arms) on the tracks at Morschenich! Third Blockade! Train still stopped
05:09 COAL TRAIN DRIVING TOWARDS AND PAST PEOPLE AT THIRD BLOCKADE! RWE AND POLICE KNOWS THERE’S PEOPLE! NOBODY HURT, LUCKILY!! Blockade is renewed regardless
06:00 Police arrived at V-Lock Blockade
06:35 One person injured and brought to hospital at second blockade removal!
06:35 All persons evicted have been released. The person in hospital has a swollen underarm, might be broken, probably sprained
08:51 Climbing Blockade at Manheim! RWE-SECURITY ATTACKING ROPE GUARDS! Rope guards are responsible for protecting live-saving ropes of climbing activists. Are securities actively trying to kill people?
08:58 Two rope guards beat up by security guards, one bleeding heavily from the mouth. RWE paramedics are on site, but not treating activists. According to security, rail power lines are still active. A camera brought by activists is smashed completely. Climbers are doing ok so far
09:16 V-Lock blockade evicted completely Addition from the beginning of climbing blockade: an emergency call made to police first wasn’t answered for quite some time. Finally an officer picked up and was made aware of the activists’ life-threatening situation. The answer was ridicule, e.g. the question if the action was taking place in an amusement park. (Phantasialand) The people who were beat up were tied up on the ground and seemed in very bad condition, staggering while trying to get up. They had to be carried out of the area. People watching were pushed away. Meanwhile a locomotive advanced, slowly nearing the blockade till about 200-300 metres away. It’s a diesel engine, which might indicate power lines are shut down
09:40 Police is at the scene now, also an ambulance of RWE, and one from Kerpen Fire Department. All these people didn’t think it was necessary to treat the beat up and injured people on the ground so far, one still bleeding, both still tied up. All they did was throw plastic emergency blankets over them. The diesel engine left again
09:50 Riot police heavy-handedly removes the two activists who were beat up before, treating them roughly. Two Spectators are sent away. Also, a cherry picker comes rolling along on the tracks. Eviction probably soon
10:19 Climbers are being evicted now, apparently. Several arriving supporters are being brutally removed out of sight of the eviction
10:46 One of the evicted people got treated in an ambulance and then removed by police to an unknown location
11:00 One of the beat up rope guards is in hospital in bergheim, the other in police custody
11:10 Both climbers are evicted
11:20 Police has purposely given out wrong information to the press Link Train Service has NOT been halted – at least one coal train drove through a blockade (this was known by police) Activists got out of the way in the last second – acutely life-threatening situation
11:42 Of the seven persons in the v-locks, three are released. It’s unclear where the others are held. Of the four arrested in the climbing blockade, one is in Bergheim hospital, three arrested, also at unknown place
11:51 Trains still haven’t moved yet!
12:15 Correction: Two people are still in a v-lock on the tracks. One Track was cut through while removing them, and it has to be repaired first
12:50 Two people arrested in the third lock-on group arrived at Düren police station
13:45 Six evicted activists arrived in Düren, among them 3 injured out of bergheim hospital
14:05 One person is interrogated at Hürth KriPo (crime police) three more are missing
14:50 Another person is released and welcomed by supporters at the police station
14:56 Another one released!
16:00 Düren police says 8 people are still arrested at their station
16:05 The first of the arrested people during the 4th blockade is released at düren police station
17:10 Cops gets violent in front of police station, pushing people onto active road
17:45 riot police getting in position at Düren HQ. watercannons when?
18:13 interesting video from express (tabloid) Link Quote by Ralf Meurer, düren police spokesperson: “In any case we want to prevent people getting hurt while removing this lock-on” – This didn’t work out so well: while removing one of the concrete blocks one activist’s arm got hurt and they were hospitalized. When asked about the composition of these lock-ons, Meurer says: “We don’t want to advertise construction sets here” – Don’t worry, we have you covered: Link
18:55 the person arrested in front of the police station is released again
19:10 police checks in front of Buir train station. people blocking coal trains banned from riding people trains, it seems
19:30 Everyone arrested during the Railway Blockades seems to be released again
20:00 three people checked at Buir train station, one arrested