Spremberg, Germany: Thousands of activists sought Saturday to occupy several opencast coal mines in eastern Germany, to put pressure on the government to phase out the fossil fuel — a divisive issue in the country’s rust belt.
With painted faces and dressed in white, hundreds of campaigners sought to force their way into a mine by Welzow-Sued — in the Lausitz basin.
Further north-east, another few hundred also arrived at Jaenschwalde Ost mine in the morning, seeking to run into the mine while another 450 blocked a railway connected to the site.
Meanwhile, MIBRAG which operates another mine — the Vereinigtes Schleenhain site — south of Leipzig also said about 1,200 protesters blocked a coal-excavator, forcing the group to halt operations.
“We have nothing against peaceful protests and the exercise of democratic rights, but we reject all forms of breach of laws and violence,” MIBRAG chairman Armin Eichholz said in a statement.
In these mining regions, thousands of jobs depend on coal. But some residents are also threatened with the loss of their homes over a planned expansion of mining.
Separately, dozens of pro-coal militants also gathered close to the Welzow mine.
“Ende Gelaende wants to destroy our infrastructures, it’s not the right way to do it... we need coal in the region,” Thomas Hauke, 62, said referring to the anti-coal group which is organising the protest.
All three mines hit Saturday produce lignite, a low-grade type of brown coal that is also considered the most harmful to human health and the environment.
Calling Saturday’s coordinated protest action a success, a spokeswoman of Ende Gelaende (Game Over) said around 3,000 turned up for the blockades.
“Despite all the nice speeches and promises, 2019 was another lost year for the climate,” said Nike Malhaus.
The occupation is being supported by other environmental groups, including the German branch of Fridays for Future which is also holding a protest at a power station in the region. — AFP
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