Dannenröder Forst: Multiple arrests, Carola Rackete in custody

Stand: 4:59 pm | Reading time: 3 minutes

FRied’s protests against the controversial expansion of Autobahn 49 are, on the one hand, the use of pyrotechnics and stone-throwing on the other. On the third day of their large-scale operation in the Dannenröder forest near Homberg (Ohm), the police took a mixed record on Thursday. Several people were arrested after officers fired at a cordon with pyrotechnics and detonated smoke bombs, a police spokeswoman said. They should be investigated for disorderly conduct.

Meanwhile, the first clearing work in the forest for the transportation project continued. Authorities again removed several activists from high-leg shelves and tree houses, including prominent environmental activist and Captain Carola Rackete, who was arrested.

In response to their protest, Rackete said in the morning: “I am here because CO2 emissions have been increasing for 30 years and because all international requests and agreements are useless.” Civil disobedience is needed to bring about change. After special forces removed the racket from the tree house, they took it away in a police vehicle. In addition to knowing her personal data, the activist will be expelled for five days, the police spokeswoman said.

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In the fireworks incident, according to preliminary findings, several people attempted to enter the security area through a barrier, the spokeswoman said. There were no injuries. “When they penetrated, they shot their comrades directly with rockets.” Smoke bombs were also detonated and stones were thrown. Officers used batons in the situation. For the rest, there were also “very peaceful forms of protest”.

Forest occupier finds protest “very successful”

One of the forest occupants described the protests in the Dannenröder forest as “very successful”. The police “are still in the same place where they started three days ago,” said activist Momo. “There is a determined protest here that sits over and over again, it always lets itself be evacuated, but it also tries to break through the police barriers here.”

The day before, officers had cleared rebuilt barricades overnight and removed activists from tripods and hammocks that were stretched out on a rope over a path.

Meanwhile, a supply tent for activists was destroyed in a fire on Thursday morning. According to the police, he was burned for an initially inexplicable cause. The amount of the damages was around 500 euros, a police spokesman said.

For the construction of the A49, a total of 27 hectares of trees will be cut down in the Dannenröder forest. At some point the motorway should connect Kassel and Giessen more directly. Against this, environmental and climate protectionists who have been occupying the forest for more than a year are protesting. Previously, parts of Herrenwald near Stadtallendorf (Marburg-Biedenkopf district) and Maulbacher Wald near Homberg (Vogelsbergkreis) had been cleared to close the gap. Opponents consider the project a failure in view of the climate crisis and call for an environmentally friendly transport change. Proponents hope this will result in less traffic and noise pollution in villages in the region and better connections for travelers and businesses.