LÜTZERATH (dpa-AFX) - In the lignite town of Lützerath in the Rhineland coalfield occupied by climate activists, the eviction by police is expected to continue this Thursday. Under predominantly peaceful protest, the police had begun on Wednesday. Police officers began by taking activists down from trees and platforms. In the process, the officers used lifting platforms at various points. At the entrance to Lützerath, excavators began demolition work. One of Lützerath's town signs was also removed Wednesday afternoon. Later, officials overturned small wooden houses on stilts, continuing the clearing of Lützerath.

Police arrived on the scene with a large contingent. In the run-up to the announced eviction, massive resistance had been expected. Observers, on the other hand, spoke of a partly relaxed atmosphere on the first day. In the early hours of Wednesday morning, there were scuffles at the start of the eviction. According to police, a Molotov cocktail, stones and pyrotechnics were thrown in the direction of the officers. A spokeswoman for the initiative "Lützerath lebt" accused the police of an overly harsh deployment. Some climate activists followed the request of the police on Wednesday and left voluntarily.

The energy company RWE wants to excavate the brown coal lying under Lützerath - for this purpose, the hamlet on the territory of the city of Erkelenz is to be demolished. In Lützerath, climate activists have been living in empty houses for months./idt/DP/nas