Am 5.12.2020 Several hundred activists took part in an end-of-the-terrain campaign in the Dannenröder forest, to support the occupation there. The forest squatters and activists who had arrived prevented the day, that the clearing was continued. Police violence, which has been reported repeatedly in the previous weeks, was omnipresent on this Saturday too.
A guest contribution by Karla Brenner
The last tree house village “Above” stand am 5.12.2020 yet. End of the terrain had called for it, to stop the clearing on that day and thus support the occupation. The activists had already set out early from the camp on the edge of the forest to the tree house village and arrived at around eight o'clock on a snow-covered field between the police camp and the tree house village "Oben".
“The police reacted to snowballs being thrown at police officers by individual activists, by using a water cannon in freezing temperatures ", such an end-of-country activist. Shortly afterwards, the first hundred formed and ran towards the scattered activists in the direction of the tree houses. Gradually, more and more police officers were added, the activists with batons, Aggressively pushed back pepper spray and kicks, whereupon the activists were forced to form a human chain around the tree house village.
“Alone, that we were there, Seemed sufficient for the police officers, to incessantly use force.”
an end- terrain- Activist
“The police officers used pepper spray to beat our human chain over and over again for no reason. Alone, that we were there, Seemed sufficient for the police officers, to incessantly use force ", such an activist of the end-of-terrain campaign. "It seemed, as if the police wanted to make it clear from the start, that they won't take a day's break from clearing. Instead, the evacuation should be implemented as quickly as possible and regardless of losses ", so the activist continues.
After this initial escalation, the police withdrew around eleven o'clock and communicated the end of the operation for the day in discussions with parliamentary observers and civil society actors. A mood of relaxation and success was noticeable among the activists. After a short consultation with each other, Activists and squatters decided to use the day for self-organized skill sharing to build occupation structures and to build barricades around the barrio from surrounding tree trunks.
Despite the previously announced end of the operation for the day, the police reformed 14 Clock again around the tree house village. Without prior notice, the police forcefully entered the tree house village and tried again using pepper spray and batons to resume the clearance work. Although, according to the police, this operation should serve to secure escape routes, paramedics were prevented from doing so, to get to injured activists.
From 15 Finally, the ground blockades began to be cleared and two people were evacuated from two tripods at the entrance to the tree house village. Although the police repeatedly stressed in the previous weeks, to proceed according to the principle of "safety before speed", suggested their approach to this eviction to the contrary: So the three trunks of the tripods were shortened one after the other, a procedure, that exposed the occupiers to the risk of serious injury. Separate, some outsiders were arrested by police squads, while press representatives were denied reporting on it.
a 17 The police withdrew. An end-of-terrain activist describes the police action on that day as "a pure demonstration of power". The escalative procedure on this Saturday is not an isolated case. Over the past few months and weeks, the armed forces have repeatedly used brute force against the occupiers, whereby the most serious injuries up to and including danger to life were accepted approvingly. The state shows again and again in the course of the clearance work, what he is ready for, in order to obtain capital interests enforced by parliament with all severity.
On Monday, the 7.12.2020 Despite the resistance of numerous activists in the forest, the last tree fell on the planned route. The battle for the last tree house is over, the struggle to build the motorway is far from over. The activists in Dannenröder Forest have announced that they will continue to oppose the expansion.
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