BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - The "positive influence" of the Greens on climate activists in Lützerath has made the evacuation of the lignite site easier, according to North Rhine-Westphalia's Interior Minister Herbert Reul. The fact that many demonstrators from the civil camp left peacefully "is certainly also related to the government participation of the Greens, who had condemned violent protests in advance," the CDU politician told the "Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger" (Saturday).

"The positive influence that the Greens have on the scene of climate activists certainly makes the job easier," Reul said. "If violent criminals can't disappear into the protective backdrop of peaceful demonstrators, they are easier to isolate." It's certainly not easy for the Greens to share responsibility for the eviction as the governing party in North Rhine-Westphalia, he said. "But they're not ducking away. Instead, top Greens from Düsseldorf come to Lützerath and face the discussion with the demonstrators. I have a lot of respect for that," Reul continued.

When the village is demolished, the energy company RWE wants to excavate the coal underneath. Of the several hundred climate activists who had occupied Lützerath in protest against this, only a few dozen at most were left on Friday, according to authorities. The others had left voluntarily or been taken away by police.

Green economy ministers in the federal government and in North Rhine-Westphalia played a significant role in the compromise, which provides for the coal phase-out in the Rhenish coalfield to be brought forward to 2030, but also for the demolition of Lützerath. This is causing a ruckus, especially among the party base. By Friday morning, more than 2,000 Green Party members had signed an open letter against the demolition./jbz/DP/men