Protesters were removed from a 12,000-year-old forest where a coal mine will be built

German police began to remove protesters on Thursday who have been living in tree houses for the past six years in the ancient Hambach Forest, located in the western part of the country. German utility company RWE is seeking to expand mining operations in the 12,000-year-old forest, and protesters have been camping out in an effort to save what is left. “This year’s clearing measures are necessary to maintain opencast mining operations and coal extraction over the next two years,” RWE said in a statement, noting that no agreement was reached with the protesters following negotiations that took place on Monday.

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