Climate Activists v. Government of Heinsberg

Climate activists challenged the ban on exclusionary orders in Lützerath in summary proceedings. Lützerath was previously at the center of large climate protests, as the hamlet is to be cleared for lignite mining. Activists had lived in the abandoned buildings for months. The court held that the unauthorised stay of persons in the areas in question and without authorisation by RWE Power AG was illegal under civil law, representing a danger to public safety. The Higher Administrative Court upheld the decision of the lower court which had found that entering Lützerath could not be justified on grounds of civil disobedience necessitated by the climate emergency.