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Activists in Lützerath: "After intensive talks, they voluntarily ended their life-threatening situation and left the tunnel"
Photo: INA FASSBENDER / AFP
They were considered the last remaining occupiers of Lützerath: the two activists have now left the tunnel in which they had been waiting for days.
In a press release, the company RWE wrote: "The two activists, who had barricaded themselves in a self-built tunnel for days, voluntarily ended their life-threatening situation after intensive discussions and left the tunnel."
One is relieved that the situation could have ended in this way.
Voluntarily leaving the tunnel is the result of intensive discussions.
A rescue from the tunnel against the announced resistance of the people would have been associated with high risks.
RWE thanked everyone who had contributed to an amicable solution.
After the complete demolition, the energy company RWE wants to excavate the coal underneath.
It is expected that the dismantling will take eight to ten days, said a company spokesman for the "Rheinische Post" (Monday edition).
"In March or April, the mine could then reach the former village and excavate it."
Except for the two tunnel occupiers, the Rhenish lignite town had been cleared since Sunday afternoon.
Most of the buildings had already been demolished on Sunday - including the farm of farmer Eckardt Heukamp, the last farmer in Lützerath.
Actions of climate activists continue
After the protest village was cleared, climate activists in the area continued to protest against lignite mining.
In the Hambach opencast mine, around 20 kilometers away, a bucket-wheel excavator has been occupied since the early hours of the morning, as an RWE spokesman announced on Monday.
In addition, climate activists abseiled in wheelchairs from a motorway bridge near Lützerath.
There are a total of five people, two of them in wheelchairs, said a police spokesman.
The traffic on Autobahn 44 continued to flow during the action, but nothing worked on the country road under the bridge.
The excavator in the Rhenish lignite mining area has stopped operating, said an RWE spokesman.
There are a total of four people on the excavator.
The police have been informed.
According to the protest group "Counterattack - for the good life", eight activists occupied the excavator.
With the action you want to show solidarity with the people in the village.
The group also criticized the actions of the police there and called for the socialization of energy production.
ala/dpa
