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Chaotic scenes near Lützerath.
Thousands of climate activists are demonstrating in front of the closed-off district of the city of Erkelenz.
When the demo reached the rally area at the RWE Garzweiler II opencast mine, participants broke through the police lines and got into arguments with the officials on a muddy field 300 meters from Lützerath.
Lukas Eberle, DER SPIEGEL
»I'm about 30 to 40 meters away from the fence that surrounds Lützerath.
The police officers lined up behind me, trying to prevent anyone from getting into Lützerath.
From the demo, many people tried to pull towards Wheel of Fortune.
At first it was only a few who made the breakthrough, bypassing the police.
They then ran across the field in the direction of Lützerath.
So first a few, then there were dozens, in the end there were hundreds who made it.
The police were initially overwhelmed and had to withdraw.
Now, as I said, they lined up at the fence.
Water cannons have been deployed, the police keep making announcements that they will also use physical force if people don't withdraw.
I haven't seen anyone
who managed to climb over the fence and get inside.
Right now it looks like the police have the situation under control.”