Thousands of climate activists gathered in Hamm, in western Germany, to protest against gas-fired power plants on Saturday, in a largely peaceful gathering, police said.
The rally, held under the banner, “Future instead of gas – defend the energy transition,” opposed government plans to build new gas-fired power stations and called for an expansion of renewable energy.
Some 2,700 people joined the rally, police said. The organizers put the number at 5,000.
The German government has committed to construct new gas-fired power plants to ensure an uninterrupted supply of power during periods of low wind and sunlight, following the decommissioning of coal-fired stations.
While they are eventually set to use climate-neutral hydrogen as fuel, climate activists have reacted with outrage at the investment in gas-based infrastructure.
Following the demonstration, the activists positioned themselves to form the shape of a wind turbine on a former mining spoil tip.
“Thousands of people have gathered in Hamm today to send a strong, creative and peaceful message in support of a just energy transition,” said the organizers, which include environmental organizations Fridays for Future, Greenpeace, BUND and Campact.
The future belongs to renewable energies, not new dependencies on fossil fuels, they said. “We want a future instead of gas – and we are joining forces to oppose the federal government’s rollback of climate policy.”
They said building new gas-fired power plants is setting the wrong energy policy priorities. Instead of pressing forward on expanding renewables, this slows down key progress in Germany’s energy transition and puts billions into climate-damaging fossil fuel infrastructure, according to a statement.
Further climate protests
Nearby, more than 1,000 protesters have set up a tent camp, called the Climate Camp, near the Gerstein power station in Hamm’s Lippepark.
Saturday saw several other gatherings related to the Climate Camp alongside the “Future Instead of Gas” demonstration. They proceeded largely peacefully and without disruption, the Dortmund police reported in the evening.
However, earlier, officers halted a procession of around 300 people, some of whom were masked and clad in white painter’s suits, deeming it an unannounced gathering. In the process, two police officers were injured, one of whom was unable to remain on duty.
Overall, however, the police drew “a positive conclusion” regarding the day’s operations.
Saturday’s events come a day after further protests were held throughout the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, including activists entering company premises and occupying railway tracks.
In Gelsenkirchen, they gained access to a power station site. The police initiated 258 criminal proceedings there alone, including for trespass and damage to property.