Action by lignite opponents: protests again near Lützerath

Around 300 opponents of lignite are demonstrating near Lützerath today – the demo train started from Keyenberg. But the actions of climate protectors are increasingly being criticized by local residents.

A new protest has started on the outskirts of the Rhenish opencast lignite mine. Around 300 opponents of lignite have gathered in Keyenberg for a village walk. Up to 200 climate activists are still camping there. As a precaution, the police are on site with a larger contingent, but do not expect major problems.

The mayor of Erkelenz, Stephan Muckel, says that the mood in the villages around Lützerath is changing. There is a lot of rubbish and graffiti there. According to the CDU politician, the authorities are currently coordinating and trying to ensure more security and order in the villages.

Increasing criticism of actions by climate protectors

The actions of climate protectionists on the edge of the Garzweiler opencast mine are increasingly met with criticism in the affected districts, according to the impression of Erkelenz Mayor Muckel. “My impression is that the mood in the villages is changing a bit,” said the CDU politician to the German Press Agency.

This is happening against the background of protests in which some of the participants did not follow the rules. Among other things, a group split up during a demonstration and tried to storm the village of Lützerath, which had been sealed off and was scheduled for demolition. The police prevented that. Many people are upset about forms of protest such as sticking or abseiling from bridges, reported Muckel. He received this information from many by e-mail and in person.

You can see more graffiti, rubbish and dirt in the remaining places. In the places that were originally supposed to be excavated for the lignite, about 90 percent of the houses are deserted. Measures are being coordinated between various authorities to ensure more security and order on site. Climate activists from Lützerath have settled in tents on a soccer field in the neighboring town of Keyenberg.

The residents of the five villages that no longer have to be demolished for the Garzweiler II opencast mine criticized the climate activists in an open letter this week. 45 residents accuse the activists of subtle threats, various attempts at intimidation and hate campaigns. “They (the activists) run as a matter of course through the villages in two nights, hooded, smashing windows, daubing walls and firing firecrackers,” says the letter, which is available to WDR.

Britta Kox co-wrote the open letter. She is a councilor for the Greens in Erkelenz and has long supported the climate activists, even leading protests. But now the measure is full for them and many of the people living here. “If there are acts of violence where doors are kicked in, where windows are smashed, where people defecate in houses, that’s not civil disobedience for me. For me, that’s a violation of the law that I don’t think is acceptable,” Kox said the WDR.

Milena Steinegger from the “Lützerath Stays” initiative says that there has been close and good cooperation with the people from the villages for years. “At the same time, there are certainly a few isolated people who do things that are not welcome in this village and who do not treat each other so considerately. But basically I have the feeling that we are all considerate of each other and that we don’t care about anyone let something come to harm,” the activist told WDR.

Another five villages remain

To the west of Erkelenz, five villages that were originally intended to give way to opencast lignite mining remain. About 200 of the original residents still live there. Before the resettlement began, there were 1,500. In addition, there are currently around 300 refugees from Ukraine.

The city of Erkelenz wants to accompany the new planning for the Garzweiler opencast lignite mine with public participation. However, the majority of residents have already sold and moved away. Now some want to go back to the old houses, others don’t, some residents have stayed the whole time.

Public participation process planned in Erkelenz

A public participation process begins on February 2nd in the town hall of Erkelenz. Initial ideas on agriculture, natural space and settlement areas are to be presented. There will also be an online participation process. Especially resettlers and people who want to stay in the old places should be heard. According to the plan, the city council should decide on a future vision for the areas in the middle of the year.

The five villages in the rural west of the city are different: These include places with a small center, church and old square farms, others are rather small street villages. Due to the changed plans, the opencast mine has been repeatedly reduced in size in recent years. “This offers opportunities that we want to use through the process,” says Mayor Muckel. The mining of lignite in the Rhineland is scheduled to end in 2030.