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Lützerath: A police officer watches as climate activists set up barricades to prevent the village from being cleared
Photo: Oliver Berg / dpa
The police could clear the village of Lützerath, which is occupied by climate activists, from Tuesday – but according to their own statements, they want to do so on Wednesday at the earliest.
That said police chief Dirk Weinspach.
"Since we will be holding an information event for citizens in Erkelenz tomorrow, they must expect the evacuation to begin the day after tomorrow or the following days," he said.
The background is that the Heinsberg district issued a general decree to clear the village.
The general decree prohibits people from staying from December 23, 2022 to February 13, 2023. If this eviction is not followed, the decree provides the basis "for taking evacuation measures from January 10," it said - so theoretically too from Tuesday.
According to the chief of police, this is not yet to be expected, but only later.
The energy company RWE wants to tear down Lützerath in the west of North Rhine-Westphalia in order to mine the coal underneath.
The land and houses of the village, which is characterized by agriculture, now belong to RWE.
However, activists who have announced resistance now live in the remaining premises, whose former residents have moved away.
They see no need to dig up and burn the coal.
A large police operation is therefore expected.
has/dpa