Kerpen, 28.03.2014. Shortly after 20:00 on last wednesday the 28th of march the last of seven activists was evicted from a tree. The treehouses were completely destroyed and lots of tree were cut down during the 16-hour large scale operation. While the police is still praising themselfes, the activists already plan the reoccupation of the forest.
According to a press release of the police the claim of the eviction was made by the town of Kerpen. The spokesperson of the town declared building regulations and the "dangerous" conditions of the houses as reason for the police operation. "The interests of energy companies are constantly presented in the name of different committees or as public interest. At federal level this mean subventions for the most climate-damaging form of energy; at regional level it means the local authorities and the police make up reasons to clear the way for RWE. We do not experience this for the first time." says Annika Schlereth after the eviction.
Already while the evection was still running people from Bonn and Vienna declared their soliadrity through different actions. Also today manifestations for solidarity will take place in Münster, Essen and Frankfurt/Main. "Repression can make people withdraw or weaken a movement. But if we stand united then it will strenghen us and our resistance. Following the eviction in november 2012 a lot of people declared their solidarity and took action over month for the forest and against RWE. The criminalization of our legitimate protest will not stop our fight." continues Annika Schlereth.
For this reason we call for a reoccuption of the Hambach Forest on 26.04.2014 By then various groups and individuals will be prepared to permanently reoccupy the forest and to send a strong signal to RWE. "We will not stand by and watch how forests, farmland and villages will be destroyed for the sake of mining. We will not sit back and do nothing while the climate is killed by the burning of coal. We will organize, resist and be solidly united with all the people worldwide that fight against destruction of their space!"