Greta Thunberg: "Lützerath is still here"

Created: 2023-01-14Updated: 2023-01-14, 3:55 p.m

Climate activist Greta Thunberg stands on the stage in front of the assembled demonstrators.

© Henning Kaiser/dpa

The Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg called on Saturday at a large demonstration in Erkelenz not to give up the village of Lützerath.

"Lützerath is still there, and as long as the coal is still in the ground, this fight is not over," said the 20-year-old in front of a large crowd.

"You are showing clearly today that change will not come from the people in power, from governments, from corporations, from the so-called leaders," she said.

Erkelenz - "No, the real leaders are here.

It is the people who sit in the tree houses and who have been defending Lützerath for years now.”

Thunberg said it was incomprehensible that coal would still be mined and burned in 2023, despite the fact that the resulting climate change is taking lives in many parts of the world.

"Germany, as one of the world's biggest polluters, has an enormous responsibility," she warned.

Despite the very bad weather, many thousands of people took part in the rally.

The police spoke of up to 10,000 participants, the organizers, including Fridays for Future, even estimated the number at 35,000.

dpa