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

Press Release 09/13/2018

MASS EVICTION OF FOREST OCCUPATION, LARGE SOLIDARITY PROTESTS

Today the struggle for the Hambacher Forst reached a long awaited climax.

Early in the morning the police gathered its forces from all over the state, and alongside Special Deployment Commando (SEK, German SWAT teams), several eviction-tanks, water-canons, climbing-officers, and technical units, started preparing for their biggest escalation so far, the continuation of eviction of the climate-justice occupation camp in the 12,000 year old forest.
It was clear from the beginning, as information had also reached us the day before, that the early hours would bring with it the deployment of the largest police action in the history of the state of NRW.

Entering the forest from the Secu-road at the eastern entrance, by the Deathtrap/Lollipop occupation, the police had to first evict a sitting blockade of catholic pilgrims, before they could even begin the eviction of the first barricade, which, once begun, took several hours. After having arrested the occupiers of the first barricades, a tripod and a monopod, and violently attacking a protester, they were able to continue with the eviction of the two treehouses at the entrance, Deathtrap and Lollipop. Shortly after the break of noon, the police entered at the northernmost occupation, fittingly named The North, and began evicting people from hammocks, as well as treehouses. The eviction continued through the day, with police being strongly present in all parts of the occupied forest.

In protest of the eviction of the forest occupation, the violent escalation of the police, and the cutting of the forest, despite the formerly announced cutting-stop supposed to last until October 14th, a demonstration of 1600 people walked from the nearby village of Buir towards the forest. A wide spectrum of people, from all over the region, children as well as seniors, showed a strong sign of solidarity with the campaign for the preservation of the forest, and the climate-justice occupation camp. As the demonstration reached the Mahnwache, a smaller protest “headquarters”, the police forbade it to continue. Despite the orders of the police, the demonstration continued to walk towards the Meadowcamp outside the forest, where a group of around a hundred people, in support of the civil disobedience campaign Aktion Unterholz, broke through police lines and entered the forest, in order to block police and RWE equipment, and spread out their ressources.

Despite the eviction of encampments in the occupied forest, the arrest of several activists, and the destruction of parts of the unique eco-system in the forest, the message of the day was as clear as a bonfire in the night: the movement is strong, will keep struggling against the injustice of the state of NRW and energy-giant RWE, and will definitely continue acting for climate justice in the Rheinish lignite-mining area, and all over Germany!

Continue ReadingPress Release 09/13/2018

PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT 06.09.18

TREEHOUSES BEING EVICTED, TREES CUT, TODAY MARKS DAY X

The polices forces of NRW have currently begun the eviction of treehouses in the Hambach Forest occupation. They will now be violently removing activists and destroying the infrastructure of the occupation, in order to prepare for RWEs continued clearing of the 12.000 year old Hambach Forest.
In this way Herbert Reul (CDU), interior minister of the state of Northrhine-Westphalia, is actively attacking climate justice and democratic civil rights, in support of fossil-fuel giant RWE and the coal-lobby, clearly showing the corruption inherent in the capitalist system.

With the eviction of the first tree houses, the Hambach Forest occupation, alongside several action-alliances (including Ende Gelände, Aktion Unterholz, and Buirer Für Buir) are calling out: Day X is here, and a new phase of the struggle has begun.
In the next days, while RWE employees, with support from the hired soldiers of the German state, attempt to evict the occupation, hundreds of people will join the forest struggle, in order to protect the climate justice protest-camp, and there are many ways to take part. See the text “How do I become active?” for more information.

Leila, an activist from the occupied forest, says: “This is the time for action. RWE wants the protest silenced, the activists imprisoned, the forest cut, and the German state is spending millions of euros in order to support this wish. This capitalist corruption is NOT to be accepted, and we will continue struggling until the last tree is cut, and beyond!”

Continue ReadingPRESS ANNOUNCEMENT 06.09.18

Live Ticker for eviction/

5.September

20:15 No more police inside the forest. They are still present around though.

19:33 One person that was taken into custody today is in hospital because the police broke their arm.

18:55 The Demonstration „Defending human rights“ will soon be at the edge of the forest.

17:57 Demonstration still going, now with around 700 people.

17:56 Detention support in Aachen is being harassed by police officers. Right now a person was forced to give their identity, and police officers are pushing handcuffed supporters up against a wall. Support your local supporters!

17:22 A-Tripod at Jesus Point has been evicted.
17:21 Demonstration passes through the dangerzone.
17:00 300 people are at the demonstration. The “A” tripod is almost evicted.
16:12 At Cozytown 3 generously filled Shit-Barricades are being evicted. The mood is good. At least for the activists.
16:10 The monopod and the tripod have been evicted. On the big A a person is still standing. He asks for people to be present to support at the detention center, when he will be evicted.
16:10 Updates from EA: 5 people in detention , 3 probably on the way there. Two were brought before the judge, and will be released tomorrow at 24 o’clock. In front of the detention people are waiting in solidarity.
16:05 Still a person on the Tripod (in the shape af a huge A) at Jesus Point
16:00 No more cops in Oaktown and food is ready!
13:30 Eviction of ground structures in T-Town. Nothing new about the tripod.

12:45 A group of 15 artists were sent away in Morchenich. They were on their way to their vernissage. Police talked about “art ban”.

11:53 Big police action around the tripod at “Jesus Point” including climbing cops. A front loader drove over the so called “bomb”, no explosives experts were present.

11:46 Ground structures in “Lorien” were evicted . One tripod is still standing.

11:35 Two people have been in Gesa (pre-charge detention centre at the police station) in Aachen since 4:30 last Night. They haven’t got food yet and were only now allowed to Have a call. Come to the Gesa! Bring Tobacco and vegan snacks.

10:55 A cherry-picker tried to evict the lowest platform in “Lorien” but people occupied it, so the cherry-picker drove off. The ground in “Oaktown” is getting thoroughly searched by the police. A small tripod got knocked down in “Lorien”, a big tripod is occupied.

10:34 Climbing Cops at the tripod. Person in 2,5 meter deep hole is locked on with the left arm. Cherry-picker in “Oaktown”.

10:14 Eviction troops of the police arrived at the tri-/ monopod structure at “Jesus Point”

09:32 Eviction of all ground structures in “Oaktown” has begun. In the background theres activists humiliating the police and RWE.

09:27 Police heard the name “Mike” in “Oaktown”: “Doesn’t he live at the meadow?”

09:25 The person that got taken into custody near the airfield was released again.

09:16 Police finds an art-installation and called explosives experts in.

09:09 One person was taken into custody near the airfield at the meadow.

09:05 Ultimatum from @RWE_AG: 10 minutes to get your private stuff and leave. Ultimatum from forest to RWE to leave or we’ll “Make use of our balaclavas!”.

09:00 Riot cops and securities all over “Oaktwon”. Shouting and sirens everywhere.

08:58 Technical forces with cherry-pickers at the tripod near the “Deathpop” entrance of the forest.

08:04 Forest side of the meadow sporadically blocked by the police

08:00 Police is driving aimlessly left and right at the meadow. Historical barricades are getting evicted.

07:40 “Lorien” is surrounded by the police. Eviction at the Lake of “Oaktown”.

07:31 A large amount of armoured police are cautiously entering the forest at “Deathpop”. A lot of eviction vehicles and securities, but still managable. Police is scouting on the main roads inside the forest.

06:00 Everything calm at the meadow. Some vehicles at “Deathpop”.

2. September

21:35 The police destroyed a fireplace and left the forest. Some police vans left at the security road.

21:20 The police has entered the forest again at “Deathpop”. They’ve already been there this afternoon to cut tarps.

Continue ReadingLive Ticker for eviction/