Lützerath coal village: Pictures of an eviction

The evacuation of the coal village of Lützerath, occupied by climate activists, has been underway since Wednesday morning. Police teams swiftly overcame the barricades erected by the activists around the village, which is no longer inhabited, and have been on site ever since.

But the real challenges still lie ahead for the police — including the evacuation of the seven buildings on the site. To make this more difficult, the activists have been creative by erecting rope structures and using other means to evade the police

The police are using heavy equipment to remove the barricades made of scrap metal and trees. The remaining activists continue to show great commitment to their cause.

The tenacity of the activists is complicating the eviction operation. On Wednesday night, officials were busy for several hours freeing a female activist from the wreckage of a car that had been set up as an obstacle. The woman had placed herself in the wreckage and cemented her feet to the path.

This activist accompanied the advance of the police with piano music until he and his piano were taken away by the police. In the run-up to the clearance, there had been concerns about potential violence, however it remained relatively peaceful for the most part, with only isolated clashes. According to the police, there have been several minor injuries on both sides so far.

The police had planned and prepared the operation for weeks. Their rapid progress so far is due in no small part to the use of the appropriate equipment which allowed the police to quickly enter the main courtyard on Thursday morning.

The next step is to clear out the numerous huts and tree houses erected by the activists. The stormy weather is causing problems for both the activists and the police.

Activists are gradually being removed from the site. Initial demolition work has already been announced in the areas of the site declared "secured" by the police. According to a spokesman for energy giant RWE, which wants to expand its mining operations, "safety is the top priority for everyone involved."

Lützerath is now located almost directly on the edge of the Garzweiler open pit mine. The decision to develop the coal deposits under the hamlet is the result of a compromise between the economics ministries led by the Greens in the federal government and the state of NRW and RWE. Therefore, Lützerath has to make way — in return for the state's coal phase-out being brought forward to 2030.