PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT – 16.09.18

THOUSANDS MARCHING IN SOLIDARITY, HUNDREDS TAKE OVER THE FOREST

On the fourth day of the eviction of the Hambach Forest occupation, activists and supporters from all over made it clear to energy-giant RWE and the government of NRW, that the squatters inside the forest are not alone in their struggle!

Already from early in the morning, it was clear that the weekly “forest walk” was going to be something special.
Despite the fact, that police beforehand had made it official that the “forest-walk”, led by Eva and Michael Zobel, would not be allowed to enter the forest, thousands of people, from all stages of life, went towards the nearby village of Buir, completely filling up several trains on the way there. After hours of continuous arrival of motivated “forest-walkers”, the march began moving in the direction of the forest, waving flags, yelling slogans, and showing their solidarity with the climate-justice activists inside the occupation, and protesting for the preservation of the 12,000 year old forest, and against the extraction of lignite-coal by energy-giant RWE.

When arriving at the protest vigil, many hundred people chose to break off from the march, and while yelling “we want a forest walk!” managed to break through police lines, entering the forest.
Here people spread out, surrounded the occupations that were being evicted, in order to support the activists, and some places even managed to force the police to leave the premises. At one point a few hundred activists managed to completely surround an eviction tank near the Cozy-town occupation! Others went through the forest, erecting barricades, and playing cat-and-mouse games with the officers still present.
Although police violently arrested several activists, these moments gave people the strong experience of how active self-empowerment and solidarity is the strongest weapon against repression, making it clear that if we are determined enough, we can overcome any obstacles.
They may have the money, but we have the masses!

While some people were taking back the forest, attempting to halt the destruction of the unique ecosystems of the Hambach Forest, the action group “AufBäumen Gegen Kohle” had planned a “tree-planting action”, where a large group, equipped with shovels, watering cans and seedlings, attempted to plant new trees at the edge of the forest, bringing new life, to make up for the mass-murder committed by RWE.
Their peaceful protest however was met with very aggressive behaviour from the police, pushing and punching activists to keep them from getting to their goal.

At the end of the day, despite the presence of large amounts of activists and supporters, police forces managed to evict the rest of the treehouses in Oaktown, including Mousehouse, Floki and Nest. One activist in Oaktown, however, impressively managed to stay up in a tree throughout the day, where they still remain to this moment.
The police also began the eviction in the so-called “WWestside”, which includes the treehouse-villages Beech-town and Cozy-town. From here two people were evicted and transported away to the pre-charge detention centre.

Throughout the day, the police kept press-workers at a distance, making it hard (almost impossible) for journalists to properly show the brutal reality of the police’s destruction of the climate-justice occupation in national and international media. It seems clear, that for interior-minister of NRW Herbert Reul (CDU) and the government of NRW, the protection of the interests of energy-giant RWE and the coal-lobby, has higher priority than the protection of the “freedom of the press”.

The support and solidarity in the last days has been truly empowering, giving us the energy to keep going. Although tomorrow Monday brings with it for many people the beginning of another working week, we are hoping to see all of you here, to help keep the resistance alive!
Hambacher Forst stays, to infinity and beyond!

Continue ReadingPRESS ANNOUNCEMENT – 16.09.18

News Ticker – September 1-13

September 13

19:05 8 people in Aachen in the Gesa (detention center). The eviction of Hamagier in the north almost completed. 3 trucks with lights en route in the forest. Police are trying to circle people at DeathPop. Educational announcements from the police receive a noisy response from the demo.
18:54 Apparently, the police and RWE are trying to put their machines in the forest in safety.
18:40 Vans in Lorien retire. The demonstration is prevented from advancing next to the Collas gravel pit by the police with the help of dogs and horses.
18:20 Also in other places, groups have managed to enter the forest because the police had to dissolve their lines.
18:18 A rather large group of activists emerge in the northern part of the forest (near North). RWE and police react with restless nervousness, machines are put in security.
17:55 The demonstration of more than 1000 people has arrived at the meadow and more and more people cross the police lines and run into the forest.
17:40 Expulsion of Hamagir (Norden).
17:20 The path to Oaktown has been widened to 5 meters between Goblin and Mona.
17:15 In the north, the eviction of the first tree house is being prepared.
17:14 Demo arrived at the vigil. About 1000 participants.
17:11 Another tripod was cleared. It is not clear which one, but probably “Norden”
16:53 “Wir sind hier, wir sind laut, weil man uns den Hambi klaut.” (We are here, we are loud, because they steal our Hambi) the protesters call and start marching from #Buir towards #HambacherForst.
16:42 In Oaktown, an aisle is being cut as an access road for the machines. One tree after another falls, the earth trembles. Tracked vehicle in the north. The seem to consider to cut there an aisle too. Deathtrap and Lollypop expelled, Deathtrap is being demolished.
15:56 Ordnungsamt (office for public order) just came by for a flying visit in Oaktown, but withdrew without further promulgation. The police stay. RWE marks trees to cut a road to Oaktown.
15:45 After more than an hour, the person from the treetop was brought away.
15:40 At the vigil, 10 police vans entered the forest.
15:38 Two people have been evicted from hammocks in the North.
14:52 A person locked themselves in the top of a tree. Cops are looking for ways to get them out. Lifting platform, a hundred of cops and a drone are apparently not enough.
14:30 Press conference begins.

Continue ReadingNews Ticker – September 1-13

PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT – 15.09.18

EVICTION CONTINUES, TUNNEL REMAINS, SOLIDARITY IS ACTIVE

Today the eviction of the occupation in the 12,000 Hambach forest continued.
In the northernmost occupation, fittingly named “The North”, police brutally destroyed the homes of the climate-justice activists, which had locked themselves on in order to delay the demolition of the treehouse occupation.
As the day passed, the police ended up “successfully” evicting all of “The North”, including the treehouses Fabacea and Kontiki, and leaving the pieces of the treehouses spread all across the forest floor.

Meanwhile, the police kept working on destroying the Oaktown occupation, bringing down the treehouse Tanit, and beginning the eviction of the common-space of the occupation, the 3-floored Tower.
Besides these, the groundstructure Simona, on which the police have already worked for two days, was taken apart, despite the underground tunnelsystem, in which two people were still locked on.
The tunnel was one of the bigger stories of the day, as the police, despite trying very hard, were still not able to evict the activists from their 10 meter deep chamber.

Throughout the day, the police actively kept national as well as international press at a distance, in order to make it harder for the journalists to give a proper picture of the brutal destruction, and give the activists a voice. Despite this, journalists were able to spread information on the process of the largest police-action in the history of NRW.

Already early in the morning, news about an apparent solidarity action at the Niederaußem coal-power-plant reached us. Here activists erected a tripod, with the banner saying “Hambi bleibt!” (Hambi stays!), and locked on to a conveyor-belt transporting lignite, as well as occupying 3 diggers. This successfully led to the power-plant being brought down to around 20% of its normal capacity.
In and around the occupation, solidarity was also clear to be seen.

Here the action-group Aktion Unterholz arrived with several hundred motivated people, some breaking police-lines and entering the forest, shouting political slogans in support of the occupation, which could be heard by people in the trees, enduring the siege of the police. The action of Aktion Unterholz made a statement against the absurd police-presence, with reference to the city of Chemnitz, where police weeks ago weren’t able to handle extreme-right protesters hunting down immigrants. “Where were you in Chemnitz?!”

Following the example of the last days of eviction, the violent repression directed towards the climate-justice activists was strong.
During the action of Aktion Unterholz, police-officers brutally beat and arrested people, harassed journalists, and even used pepper-spray against demonstrators.
It is estimated that around 30 people were brought to the pre-charge detention centre in Aachen, were supporters outside were awaiting their release, with music, coffee and cake.
Most people brought into the pre-charge detention centre are released within 24 hours.
However, in connection to the eviction of a tripod in the occupied Hambach forest on September 13th, one person was brought into custody jail, for an undefined amount of time. Read more about Andrea (“UP3”) on the blog of ABC Rhineland (https://abcrhineland.blackblogs.org/).
Responsible for the continued violence against activists, journalists and nature, is interior-minister of NRW Herbert Reul (CDU). Despite the wide environmental movement, and the German plans for coal phase-out, Herbert Reul continues to protect the interests of RWE and the coal-lobby with the weapons of the state!

The struggle here continues, and is stronger every day. Although the situation here is tough, we are looking forward to experience individual and collective action of support and solidarity in NRW, Germany, Europe, and all over the world!
Hambi stays, today and forever!

Continue ReadingPRESS ANNOUNCEMENT – 15.09.18

Interim status of the forest clearing

September 15 – Here again the current state, which was last passed from the forest:

  • Today the tree houses „Fabacea“ and „Kontiki“ as well as the Skypod (platform hanging free in ropes) in the barrio „Norden“ were evacuated. So there is no longer this barrio, but quite a lot of new anger. One of the expelled residents lodged a lawsuit against the destruction of their living space with our solidary lawyer Christian Mertens; Mertens is ready to support even more residents and others with such a lawsuit. (Specification of personal details required.)
  • In addition, a drivable passage was cleared between the barrios „Beechtown“ and „Cozytown“ north of the meadow. There were only footpaths so far.
  • Today (September 15), the barricades were cleared between the gravel pit of Collas and the central crossroads in the forest called „Jesus Point“. Firstly, this means further access to the forest and, secondly, it is particularly threatening for the barrio „Kleingartenverein“ (allotment garden) near the gravel pit.
  • Yesterday, the half done treehouse ‘Amagir’ had been evicted and got destroied in the barrio „Norden“.
  • Since yesterday there is a driveable track from the main path to the Barrios “Oaktown” and “Gallien”. They end at the tree house “Mona” (Oakt.) Or between “Tower” and “Paradise” (Gallien). Every aisle they hit through the forest means tree felling. It is enough! Gallien reports 40 felled trees. To cover that up, stumps and roots were torn out and the holes were filled with sand. However, evidently there was no eviction in Gallien.
  • Yesterday in Oaktown the tree houses Pyra, Mona and Stube were evicted. From the cabin Simona the roof was removed, the rest of the hut seems to stand still. There are still two people in the tunnel under the hut. The rest of Oaktown stands (i.e., Floki, Tower, Mouse-House, Nest), the Skypod “Raste” and the low tree house “Hundehütte” (also called Anna Campbell) near “Simona”, there is currently no information.
Continue ReadingInterim status of the forest clearing