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Jürgen Trittin (Greens), Carla Reemtsma (Fridays for Future) and Linda Teuteberg (FDP) in the SPIEGEL top-level discussion with Markus Feldkirchen.
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THE MIRROR
Jürgen Trittin defends the actions of the police in Lützerath.
“The police are executing a final judgment.
In this respect, she has no room for maneuver at this point," said the Green politician in the SPIEGEL top-level discussion with moderator Markus Feldenkirchen, climate protection activist Carla Reemtsma and FDP board member Linda Teuteberg.
The former Federal Minister for the Environment put the climate protection activists' criticism of the authorities' action into perspective.
He remembers sit-ins he experienced as a student.
“Back then, dog teams were rushed in and batons and tear gas were used – for keeping us peaceful on the rails.
It can get worse,' Trittin said.
According to the Greens politician, whether the actions of the police are proportionate or not must be seen in the overall context.
Reemtsma contradicted Trittin.
"There is a lot of video material that documents that what is happening in Lützerath is extremely disproportionate," said the spokeswoman for Fridays for Future.
There are reliable reports of peaceful sit-ins whose participants were beaten.
There is no longer any medical care on site, according to Reemtsma.
She accused the Greens of telling the untruth.
"To say as a Green, we're going to take this step and tear down this village is one thing," said Reemtsma.
If the Greens were to describe the agreement on coal under Lützerath as a "smart deal," they would "stand up and lie brazenly," said Reemtsma.
She is angry and disappointed.
If the coal were burned under Lützerath, Germany could not make a fair contribution to complying with the 1.5 degree limit.
Trittin dismissed the accusation of lying as "verbal insults".
NRW Economics Minister Mona Neubaur (Greens) had said that there was no way around the eviction of Lützerath.
Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) also defended the eviction.
Teuteberg called for respect for rule-of-law decisions.
"It's part of the process of enforcing democratic decisions," said the former FDP general secretary.
"If we are not even able to enforce the decisions that have been made here, then some people in Moscow and Beijing will laugh up their sleeves, and we shouldn't follow their stories," says Teuteberg.
“One must not put activists in a corner with terrorists”
When asked how the rule of law should deal with climate activists, Trittin accused CDU leader Friedrich Merz of "baiting".
"One shouldn't put activists in a corner with terrorists," said Trittin.
He rejected the proposal to tighten penalties for certain forms of protest.
Merz had called for people to be shown limits that challenged the rule of law.
Merz referred this to the protesters in Lützerath, among other things.
"That will not do.
This is a neglect of the political culture,” said Trittin.
He referred to movements that claim to act non-violently and named "Fridays for Future" and "The Last Generation".
According to Trittin, a movement would be criminalized and equated with people who intentionally hurt and murder.
"This is an utterly despicable and despicable debate," Trittin said.
The energy company RWE wants to demolish Lützerath in North Rhine-Westphalia in order to mine the coal underneath.
The land and houses now belong to RWE.
Activists live in the remaining premises, whose former residents have moved away.
They see no need to dig up and burn the coal.
The police have started clearing the place.
