Germany: Police arrest over 100 people at anti-coal protest

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Germany: Police arrest over 100 people at anti-coal protest

Updated 12:26 pm, Sunday, May 15, 2016

BERLIN (AP) — German police say they have arrested more than 100 people demonstrating against a coal mining in eastern Germany.

Cottbus police say the protesters were among about 300 people who had forced their way onto the site of the Schwarze Pumpe coal-fired power plant late Saturday. Two protesters were injured during the police operation, which was continuing Sunday.

The protest was organized by the groups Klimatecamp (Climate Camp) and EndeGelaende, which loosely translates as "it's finished now." Their goal is to prevent the mining and use of coal, which is considered a major source of carbon emissions that are contributing to climate change.

The German news agency dpa quoted the plant operator, the Swedish company Vattenfall, as saying the protest is preventing supplies from reaching the power station.



Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Germany-Police-arrest-over-100-people-at-7469599.php

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(Short article, no more at link.)

[procon]

1. That's the kind of protest I'd like to see happen every week in the US. nt

[pampango]

2. "The weekend campaign "has exceeded all our expectations," anti-coal and anti-nuclear coalition

"Ende Gelände" said on Sunday after a 48-hour blockade outside the city of Cottbus."

"I am not aware that activists started the violence," the spokeswoman said, adding that pro-coal, counter-demonstrators also attacked the environmental activists.

Organizers said up to 2,000 people took part in the weekend demonstration, which was part of the "Break Free" campaign launched by environmentalist groups to oppose the use of fossil fuels.

Germany, which plans to close all the country's nuclear power plants by 2022, still relies on burning coal for 42 percent of its electricity.

http://www.dw.com/en/anti-coal-protesters-claim-victory-in-german-power-plant-demonstration/a-19259752