Protests in the Sinswäldchen: Activists defend themselves against RWE clearing!

In the Hambacher Forst in North Rhine-Westphalia, protests against the activities of the energy group RWE have flared up again. Environmental protection associations fear that RWE is planning to clear forests to gain gravel and overburden for the design of the opencast mine. A group spokesman made it clear that no clearing work is currently taking place in the Sinswäldchen and there was no schedule for it. Nevertheless, several environmental groups, including “Hambi remains” and the Nature Conservation Association Mönchengladbach, mobilize to participate in protests.

like WDR , the resistance is aimed primarily at the forest area east of the Hambacher ForSts, where RWE is planning extensive depression in the next few years. The police have so far confirmed that no clearing work was pending and called on the protesters to end the assembly.

evacuation of the sin grade by the police

On January 9, 2025, a police campaign in the Sinswäldchen occurred. Activists blocked this evacuation to prevent the deforestation by RWE. A planned vigil was not approved by the authorities. According to T-Online are about a dozen people on the area. The exact course and the duration of the police operation are still unclear.

Background of the protests is a new RWE operating plan, which provides for the deposition of the Manheim Bay in the next three years. As a result, important green areas and the Sinsewäldchen are threatened, in which strictly protected animal species such as bats also live. The BUND NRW criticized the fact that RWE did not submit the new operating plan to the conservationists before its entry into force and submitted a lawsuit before the Higher Administrative Court in Münster to stop clearing measures in the Hambacher Wald.