Environmental activists took part in a three-day protest at the Welzow Sued open-pit coal mine in Welzow, Germany. They demanded an end to the use of coal for energy production and the adoption of renewable energy in its place.
Activists of the environmental organisation Robin Wood have roped themselves to a railway bridge in their blockade of the railway track leading to the coal mine company Vattenfall factory Schwarze Pumpe near Spremberg, GermanyCarsten Koall/Getty Images
The protests, which began on 13 May, were organised by environmental groups Klimatecamp (Climate Camp) Ende Gelaende (Here and No Further) and Robin Wood, who suspended themselves from railway bridges in protest against the operation of the mine. Many held up flags reading "Burn Border, Not Coal" as hundreds of people occupied the railway line. Two protesters were injured during the police operation, while over 100 were arrested.
An activits fix flowers on a tree as she and other anti-coal activists occupy a loading station close to the Welzow Sued open-pit coal mine near Spremberg, GermanyCarsten Koall/Getty ImagesA security guard pushes back an anti-coal activist after he entered together with hundreds of others the main gate of the coal mine company Vattenfall factory Schwarze PumpeCarsten Koall/Getty ImagesA cello player busks with anti-coal mine activists blockading a railway in the direction of the coal mine company Vattenfall factory Schwarze PumpeCarsten Koall/Getty ImagesAnti-coal activists enter the main gate of the coal mine company Vattenfall factory Schwarze Pumpe near Spremberg, GermanyCarsten Koall/Getty ImagesAnti-coal activists enter the grounds of the coal mine company Vattenfall factory Schwarze Pumpe near Spremberg, GermanyCarsten Koall/Getty ImagesAnti-coal activists flee after clashes with German riot police following entering the grounds of coal mine company Vattenfall factory Schwarze PumpeCarsten Koall/Getty Images
The Welzoe Sued mine is operated by Swedish company Vattenfall and is in the process of being sold to the Czech company Energetický a Průmyslový Holding (EPH). It considered a major source of carbon emissions that are contributing to climate change. Vattenfall has since filed a complaint against the environmentalists with the police in Cottbus that included claims of a breach of the peace and assault. According to sources 500 of the 2,000 participants spent the night at the mine.
Vattenfall later confirmed that the protesters managed to prevent some of the coal deliveries from arriving at Schwarze Pumpe, forcing the plant to reduce its output.
Anti-coal activists try to take cover from the rain and the dust as they occupy a loading station close to the Welzow Sued open-pit coal mine near Spremberg, GermanyCarsten Koall/Getty ImagesAnti-coal activists flee following clashes with German riot police after entering the grounds of coal mine company Vattenfall factory Schwarze PumpeCarsten Koall/Getty ImagesAnti-coal activists clash with German riot police after entering the grounds of the coal mine company Vattenfall factory Schwarze Pumpe near Spremberg, GermanyCarsten Koall/Getty ImagesA rotary excavator stands still at the opencast mine Welzow Sued in Welzow, eastern GermanyCarsten Koall/Getty ImagesAnti-coal activists sit in front of a makeshift tent as they occupy a loading station close to the Welzow Sued open-pit coal mine near Spremberg, GermanyCarsten Koall/Getty ImagesEnvironmental activists of environmantal organisations 'Robin Wood' and 'Ende Gelaende' lie in hammocks over tracks leading to the coal-fired power station Schwarze PumpePatrick Pleul/AFPAnti-coal activists flee after clashes with German riot police erupted when they broke into the grounds of coal mine company Vattenfall factory Schwarze Pumpe Carsten Koall/Getty ImagesA general view shows the opencast mine Welzow Sued in Welzow, eastern GermanyCarsten Koall/Getty ImagesGerman riot police stand guard against anti-coal activists that entered the grounds of the coal mine company Vattenfall factory Schwarze PumpeCarsten Koall/Getty ImagesAnti-coal activists enter the grounds of the coal mine company Vattenfall factory Schwarze Pumpe near Spremberg, GermanyCarsten Koall/Getty ImagesAn anti-coal activist covers for the rain and the dust as they occupy a loading station close to the Welzow Sued open-pit coal mine near Spremberg, GermanyCarsten Koall/Getty ImagesAnti-coal activists enter the grounds of the coal mine company Vattenfall factory Schwarze Pumpe near Spremberg, GermanyCarsten Koall/Getty Images
