Protest against marina construction: Activists occupy lignite excavators in Hambach

The open-cast mine in Hambach is currently at a standstill. The reason for this is that activists have occupied an excavator. They want to prevent the forest from being cleared for a planned marina.

Activists have occupied a lignite excavator at the Hambach open-cast mine. A police spokesperson in Bergheim confirmed a statement from the group. According to the group, part of the mine's assembly lines is at a standstill.

Specifically, according to media reports, the activists are currently occupying a bucket-wheel excavator in the Hambach open-cast mine. In a livestream on Instagram, members of the group Disrupt Now can be seen on a platform on the excavator, as reported by "WDR." They have hung various banners there demanding an end to coal mining.

Emergency services are already on their way to the Hambach opencast mine, the spokesperson also confirmed. The energy company RWE, which operates the mine, has not yet commented on the incident.

The action is directed against the impending clearing of part of the Hambach Forest by the coal company RWE to build a marina on the edge of the open-cast mine. The activists fear an eviction and clearing of the occupied "forest of sin" in the coming weeks.