Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Hamm on Saturday in a large-scale protest against the German federal government's energy policy and plans to build new gas-fired power plants. According to the organisers, around 2,000 participants gathered near the Gersteinwerk gas power plant and formed a moving wind turbine, a symbolic action that was said to have set a new world record.
Greenpeace estimated the total number of participants across all rallies at 5,000, while police put the figure at 2,700. The demonstrations were held under the banner "Future Instead of Gas, Defend the Energy Transition."
A police spokesperson described the protests as having been "largely peaceful." In preparation for the demonstrations, authorities had mobilised police forces from across the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
The protests were organised by Greenpeace, Campact, Fridays for Future and BUND. They were triggered by the plans of Economy Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) to push ahead with the construction of new gas power plants.
The organisers called for an immediate change in direction in the country's energy policy, "away from fossil gas and toward a consistent, socially just energy transition," as Greenpeace stated. The alliance accused Reiche of setting "the wrong energy policy priorities," arguing that instead of decisively advancing the expansion of renewable energy, the government was slowing down key achievements of the energy transition and channelling billions into climate-damaging fossil infrastructure.
A "climate camp" has been running in Hamm for several days, set to continue until Tuesday at Lippepark. On Saturday morning, the activist group Ende Gelände reported that some protesters were being detained by police, accusing officers of taking a heavy-handed approach against peaceful demonstration.
Separate protest actions also took place at other locations across North Rhine-Westphalia on Friday, including road blockades. Around 200 activists entered the grounds of the Scholven power plant in Gelsenkirchen.
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