Raw materials - Protest again against gravel mining in Langenwald
Protesting against expected clearings for gravel mining in a forest near Langen in Baden-Württemberg, activists organized a vigil after a police intervention over the weekend. They built a platform approximately four meters high between the trees. The officers initially pointed out potential falling risks, as a police spokesperson stated. However, the wooden construction remained in place for the time being. Several activists spent the night on site.
According to activists, around 30 hectares of the forest have been cleared in the past years for gravel and sand mining by a company. "Plans for the expansion of the gravel pits and further felling on over 60 hectares are already underway," it was also stated, referring to the suffering of forests due to the effects of climate change. The company declined to comment on inquiry, but announced a statement for a later date "due to the now escalated situation."
The federal chairwoman of The Left, Janine Wissler, criticized: "The destruction of the Langen Forest for gravel mining is an ecological crime. It's absurd that such a valuable forest, which is important for biodiversity and groundwater, is being sacrificed for short-term profit interests." This is being done against the interests of the people in the region. The Langen-born chairwoman of The Left, Wissler, announced a visit to the vigil.
The gathering of like-minded individuals against the planned clearings extended beyond the vigil, with a scheduled demonstration happening in Southern Hesse's forest this upcoming weekend. Despite the commodity being gravel, the importance of preserving the forest for Nature's biodiversity and groundwater is a commodity not to be overlooked. The police presence at the protest site in Hesse is expected to be significant, given the tense situation following the recent weekend's events.
