#HambiBleibt

You can’t evict a movement: the struggle to save the Hambach Forest.

In the heart of Germany’s brown coal region, a growing resistance movement is struggling to save an ancient forest, and calling for climate justice and an end to fossil fuels.

[Background photo credit to Hambi Info via Flickr]

The story

Coal giant RWE wants to cut down a 12,000 year old forest to strip away earth and dig for lignite – the dirtiest fossil fuel. But not without a fight.

The resistance movement won the latest battle to save Hambi: a court in Münster has ordered the company to stop! Now it may take months or even years for the court to decide whether RWE has the right to pursue its plans to get to the coal below the forest.

The struggle to protect the forest for good – and keep lignite coal in the ground – continues. Meet Indigo, one of the activists who occupied the forest, despite massive police repression.

Activists like Indigo have been protecting the Hambach forest with their presence and their bodies. Six years ago they started building tree houses to peacefully occupy the forest. Now, the police have destroyed their forest homes, in an effort to evict the peaceful potest.

But people across Germany and Europe are still resisting and more actions are coming. We’ve already collected close to 6,000 individual messages of solidarity! You can still add yours, and we will deliver them to those protecting the forest.

Add Your Name

Solidarity with #HambiBleibt

Sign this letter of solidarity with people defending the Hambach Forest, and add your own message of support:

"I stand in solidarity with the people who are protecting the Hambach Forest, our climate and our future. Stay strong: you're in our thoughts, and you're not alone. Hambi bleibt!".

View the full petition text.

"I stand in solidarity with the people who are protecting the Hambach Forest, our climate and our future. Stay strong: you're in our thoughts, and you're not alone. Hambi bleibt!".

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Coal giant RWE wants to cut down a 12,000 year old forest to strip away earth and dig for lignite - the dirtiest fossil fuel.

The resistance movement just celebrated a win in the fight to save Hambi: a court in Münster has ordered the company to stop! Now it may take months or even years for the court to decide whether RWE has the right to pursue its plans to get to the coal below the forest.

Activists have been protecting the Hambach forest with their presence and their bodies. We won a battle, but the struggle to protect the forest for good – and keep lignite coal in the ground – continues. People across Germany and Europe are still resisting and more actions are coming. You can still support the struggle with your solidarity.

The fossil fuel giant RWE has the legal rights to the land, but there is no doubt that their plan to expand the nearby open-pit mine will bring nothing but destruction. Not just for the ancient trees and the forest settlement, but for the climate, and our shared future.

If the coal underneath Hambi is burnt, Germany will miss its climate targets, and make it harder for all of us to avoid catastrophic climate impacts.

So let’s send the protesters on the frontlines a powerful message of hope and support. Let’s help them stay strong, and stay safe: the more eyes focused on the Hambi struggle, the stronger the peaceful resistance.

While signing, you can choose to leave your own message of solidarity with the people defending the Hambach forest. We have a plan to deliver the messages to the forest, so your name and words of support will find their way to the frontline of the struggle.

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MORE BACKGROUND

Video by Redfish media.

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We talked to Lou last week, when the eviction of the treehouses in the Hambach forest had just started. Video by 350.

How else can you help?

  1. Take a picture of yourself with the words #HambiBleibt (Hambi Stays) and post it on social media, to help make the struggle visible across the world.
  2. Come to the Hambach forest and join the resistance. Demonstrations will take place on 6 October, and an Ende Gelände mass action is planned for 25-28 October.
  3. If you’re based in Germany, support our campaign DivestRWE and join a local Fossil Free group near you.

More information

Action Unterholz has been organizing mass actions of civil disobedience to support the people occupying the forest for the past few weeks. There are ways for everyone to get involved. On October 6, there will be a joint action of mass civil disobedience with Ende Gelände.

 

Ende Gelände has decided that the preservation of the Hambach forest is an emergency measure for climate justice! So from October 25th – 29th, there will be a mass blockade of the coal infrastructure encroaching on the ancient forest. People from around Europe are invited to join.

 

Save the forest – stop coal! Young and old, people from all corners of the country come together to fight for their future and the future of the planet. Join the march on Saturday, October 6th 2018 at 12 o’clock from the Buir train station!

Here are some of the messages of support and solidarity by 350 community members:
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