German police clear protesters from ancient forest marked for mining
Police officers are seen in the forest as they prepare to clear the area at the "Hambacher Forst" in Kerpen-Buir near Cologne, Germany, September 13, 2018, where protesters have built a camp with tents and treehouses to stop the clearing of the Hambach forest for a nearby open cast coal mining. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay
HAMBACH, Germany (Reuters) - German riot police cleared environmental activists from treehouses in an ancient forest on Thursday, dismantling a protest camp set up five years ago to block a coal mining project.
Wearing helmets and carrying shields, they used a hydraulic platform mounted on a truck to force activists from the treehouses erected in Hambach forest, west of the city of Cologne.
Officers carried off some of the protesters who were trying to prevent utility RWE from clearing the forest that it bought decades ago to expand mining in the area. Most of the forest has already been chopped down and the activists were trying to save a remaining patch of green.
Police officers leave "Hambacher Forst" after clearing the trees in the area, in Kerpen-Buir near Cologne, Germany, September 13, 2018, where protesters have built a camp with tents and treehouses to stop the clearing of the Hambach forest for a nearby open cast coal mining. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay
The activists had asked RWE to delay the logging until a year-end deadline for a commission to submit plans to the government for Germany to give up coal-fired energy.
Germany aims to raise wind and solar power's share of energy generation from a third now to 65 percent by 2030 to help to cut carbon dioxide emissions and achieve its climate commitments.
Police said measures were being taken to prevent the activists from returning to the site. "After the operation we will monitor people and vehicles trying to come here in order to prevent the reconstruction of what we so painfully dismantled," said police spokesman Paul Kemen.
An activist hangs in a hammock between the trees as police attempt to clear the area at the "Hambacher Forst" in Kerpen-Buir near Cologne, Germany, September 13, 2018, where protesters have built a camp with tents and treehouses to stop the clearing of the Hambach forest for a nearby open cast coal mining. REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen
(Reporting by Stephane Nietschke, writing by Joseph Nasr, editing by David Stamp)
Activists are seen at the treehouse, as policemen try to clear the area at the "Hambacher Forst" in Kerpen-Buir near Cologne, Germany, September 13, 2018, where protesters have built a camp with tents and treehouses to stop the clearing of the Hambach forest for a nearby open cast coal mining. REUTERS/Wolfgang RattayPolice officers detain an activist as they attempt to clear the area at the "Hambacher Forst" in Kerpen-Buir near Cologne, Germany, September 13, 2018, where protesters have built a camp with tents and treehouses to stop the clearing of the Hambach forest for a nearby open cast coal mining. REUTERS/Wolfgang RattayPolicemen detain an activist as they attempt to clear the area at the "Hambacher Forst" in Kerpen-Buir near Cologne, Germany, September 13, 2018, where protesters have built a camp with tents and treehouses to stop the clearing of the Hambach forest for a nearby open cast coal mining. REUTERS/Wolfgang RattayPolicemen detain an activist as they attempt to clear the area at the "Hambacher Forst" in Kerpen-Buir near Cologne, Germany, September 13, 2018, where protesters have built a camp with tents and treehouses to stop the clearing of the Hambach forest for a nearby open cast coal mining. REUTERS/Wolfgang RattayPolice cordons off the zone as they prepare to clear the area at the "Hambacher Forst" in Kerpen-Buir near Cologne, Germany, September 13, 2018, where protesters have built a camp with tents and treehouses to stop the clearing of the Hambach forest for a nearby open cast coal mining. REUTERS/Wolfgang RattayPolicemen detain an activist as they attempt to clear the area at the "Hambacher Forst" in Kerpen-Buir near Cologne, Germany, September 13, 2018, where protesters have built a camp with tents and treehouses to stop the clearing of the Hambach forest for a nearby open cast coal mining. REUTERS/Wolfgang RattayA police officer carries the pipe system activists use to lock themselves as police attempt to clear the area at the "Hambacher Forst" in Kerpen-Buir near Cologne, Germany, September 13, 2018, where protesters have built a camp with tents and treehouses to stop the clearing of the Hambach forest for a nearby open cast coal mining. REUTERS/Wolfgang RattayA policeman detains an activist as police attempt to clear the area at the "Hambacher Forst" in Kerpen-Buir near Cologne, Germany, September 13, 2018, where protesters have built a camp with tents and treehouses to stop the clearing of the Hambach forest for a nearby open cast coal mining. REUTERS/Wolfgang RattayPolice officers detain an activist as they attempt to clear the area at the "Hambacher Forst" in Kerpen-Buir near Cologne, Germany, September 13, 2018, where protesters have built a camp with tents and treehouses to stop the clearing of the Hambach forest for a nearby open cast coal mining. REUTERS/Thilo SchmuelgenPolice officers detain an activist as they attempt to clear the area at the "Hambacher Forst" in Kerpen-Buir near Cologne, Germany, September 13, 2018, where protesters have built a camp with tents and treehouses to stop the clearing of the Hambach forest for a nearby open cast coal mining. REUTERS/Thilo SchmuelgenPolicemen detain an activist as they attempt to clear the area at the "Hambacher Forst" in Kerpen-Buir near Cologne, Germany, September 13, 2018, where protesters have built a camp with tents and treehouses to stop the clearing of the Hambach forest for a nearby open cast coal mining. REUTERS/Wolfgang RattayPolice armoured vehicles and a water cannon are seen at the site as police prepares to clear the area at the "Hambacher Forst" in Kerpen-Buir near Cologne, Germany, September 13, 2018, where protesters have built a camp with tents and treehouses to stop the clearing of the Hambach forest for a nearby open cast coal mining. REUTERS/Wolfgang RattayPolicemen arrest an activist as they attempt to clear the area at the "Hambacher Forst" in Kerpen-Buir near Cologne, Germany, September 13, 2018, where protesters have built a camp with tents and treehouses to stop the clearing of the Hambach forest for a nearby open cast coal mining. REUTERS/Wolfgang RattayAn activist sits in a tree as police attempt to clear the area at the "Hambacher Forst" in Kerpen-Buir near Cologne, Germany, September 13, 2018, where protesters have built a camp with tents and treehouses to stop the clearing of the Hambach forest for a nearby open cast coal mining. REUTERS/Thilo SchmuelgenPolicemen arrest an activist as they attempt to clear the area at the "Hambacher Forst" in Kerpen-Buir near Cologne, Germany, September 13, 2018, where protesters have built a camp with tents and treehouses to stop the clearing of the Hambach forest for a nearby open cast coal mining. REUTERS/Wolfgang RattayAn activist juggles the balls at the treehouse, as police forces prepare to clear the area at the "Hambacher Forst" in Kerpen-Buir near Cologne, Germany, September 13, 2018, where protesters have built a camp with tents and treehouses to stop the clearing of the Hambach forest for a nearby open cast coal mining. REUTERS/Wolfgang RattayPolice officers make a selfie as they prepare to clear the area at the "Hambacher Forst" in Kerpen-Buir near Cologne, Germany, September 13, 2018, where protesters have built a camp with tents and treehouses to stop the clearing of the Hambach forest for a nearby open cast coal mining. REUTERS/Wolfgang RattayAn activist runs through the forest as police prepares to clear the area at the "Hambacher Forst" in Kerpen-Buir near Cologne, Germany, September 13, 2018, where protesters have built a camp with tents and treehouses to stop the clearing of the Hambach forest for a nearby open cast coal mining. REUTERS/Wolfgang RattayPolicemen in the crane lift approach an activist at the treehouse, as they attempt to clear the area at the "Hambacher Forst" in Kerpen-Buir near Cologne, Germany, September 13, 2018, where protesters have built a camp with tents and treehouses to stop the clearing of the Hambach forest for a nearby open cast coal mining. REUTERS/Wolfgang RattayPolice officers detain an activist as they attempt to clear the area at the "Hambacher Forst" in Kerpen-Buir near Cologne, Germany, September 13, 2018, where protesters have built a camp with tents and treehouses to stop the clearing of the Hambach forest for a nearby open cast coal mining. REUTERS/Wolfgang RattayPolice officers are seen in the forest as they prepare to clear the area at the "Hambacher Forst" in Kerpen-Buir near Cologne, Germany, September 13, 2018, where protesters have built a camp with tents and treehouses to stop the clearing of the Hambach forest for a nearby open cast coal mining. REUTERS/Wolfgang RattayActivists sit in a tree house as police attempt to clear the area at the "Hambacher Forst" in Kerpen-Buir near Cologne, Germany, September 13, 2018, where protesters have built a camp with tents and treehouses to stop the clearing of the Hambach forest for a nearby open cast coal mining. REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen
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