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!