Germany wants to get out of the coal. Nevertheless, a new coal-fired power plant went on Saturday to the grid. However, various environmental protest organisations - including former miners were among the protesters.

Datteln (Reuters) - environmental activists have protested in the Northern Ruhr region, largely peacefully, against the just-commissioned power plant Datteln 4.

"It is a post de facto power station, all the facts speak against it", says Luisa Neubauer of Fridays for the Future. It was a provocation, the Coal phase-with a new coal-fired power plant to initiate. Datteln 4 has to go back from the network, and the well before 2037.

At the beginning of the commercial operation of numerous followers of Greenpeace, the end of the grounds and the Federation for environment and nature conservation (BUND protested in addition to Fridays for the Future). Already in the night, the activists who radiates the power plant with lettering such as "climate crisis, made in Germany" will be displayed.

also read: Greta Thunberg back due dates for 4 - with a frontal attack on Merkel and Laschet

"We are in the best greetings to the obviously incompetent government," said climate activist Neubauer. "We are going to stop this power plant, we will bring it to a standstill, we will win this conflict."

Among the protesters, former miners were. "We criticise the fact that the coal mining industry in Germany is set and the workers have been terminated, but now coal from abroad will be imported, in order to operate Datteln 4," said Sebastian Suszka, himself a former member of the works Council.

According to police, Recklinghausen, ten meetings had been logged on to the power plant site. The vigils and actions should continue throughout the day. Around 20 followers of the terrain jumped at noon in the channel to block it. A little later they were overtaken by a canoe fleet. According to a police spokeswoman on Saturday afternoon, the protests were largely peaceful.

There are three View had, however, been because of the goddamn mask written, informed a police spokesman. The people would have masked completely, far more than with a Corona-mouth protection. Two more people tried to interfere with actions of the officials. The police recorded their personal details. "All were dismissed on the spot," said the police via Twitter. According to the data of the Left-climate politician and Bundestag deputies Lorenz Gösta Beutin, the police went in without warning and "very brutal."

climate activist Greta Thunberg reported via Twitter to have their say. "Today is a shameful day for Europe as we open a brand-new coal-fired power plant. We are committed to pave the way in order to avoid a climate disaster - and yet this is the Signal we send to the Rest of the world? ( ... ), "wrote the Swede.

The Uniper-operated coal-fired power plant Datteln 4 in the Northern Ruhr area has become the Symbol of the debate on energy and environmental policy in Germany. The Federal government established a coal Commission had recommended not to search for already built but not yet operational power plants, a negotiated solution to take them into operation. The environmental organizations see in the Yes of the Federal government to Datteln 4 is a violation of the decisions of the Commission.

the Federal government and the NRW state government to emphasize that in return for Datteln 4 older coal-fired power plants will be shut down. Thus, the additional carbon dioxide would offset emissions of dates 4.