(BS) On the afternoon of 15 January 2023, the police reported the evacuation of the Rhenish lignite village of Lützerath. In the course of the eviction, the police forces were attacked, sometimes on a massive scale, by the demonstrators. Following the escalation of the operation, there were numerous injuries on both sides. The Lützerath investigation commission, which was set up by the Aachen police, has now presented its final report.
Priority for law and order
Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) emphasised that the operation itself was not the end of the police’s work. In meticulous and sometimes detailed investigations, they had been able to identify the perpetrators from among the demonstrators. “We know for sure that there were also radical climate hooligans among the climate activists,” said Reul. With regard to the violent attacks on officers during the demonstration, the Minister of the Interior made it clear: “Criminal offences and attacks on police officers are not compatible with the freedom to demonstrate. Even the important issue of climate protection does not legitimise criminal offences. And this form of protest is even less helpful to our democratic society, which organises its coexistence through law and justice.”
EK Lützerath set up
The police operation in Lützerath lasted from 2 to 23 January 2023. After the preliminary work to prepare for the dismantling of the Lützerath site, the actual operation began on 11 January. At its peak, 3,700 emergency services from North Rhine-Westphalia and throughout Germany were involved. In coordination with the Ministry of the Interior, Aachen Police Headquarters set up the EK Lützerath to identify the criminals, investigate the offences and clear up the left-wing extremist scene, some of which operated nationwide.
Andreas Bollenbach, Deputy Chief of Police of Aachen, praised the officers who worked in the investigation commission: “The successful investigative work that was carried out in such a short time is proof of the commitment and professionalism of our colleagues. Thanks to their dedication, it has been possible to successfully process an impressive number of criminal proceedings to date.”
Extensive investigative work
A total of 594 criminal offences were processed in the course of the investigations and almost 3,400 gigabytes of image and video data were analysed. 467 criminals were identified and 156 offences were solved. This corresponds to a clearance rate of 26 per cent. The objective evidence was primarily collected digitally in the form of image and video material during the on-site operations. The investigators received the data carriers immediately after the operation and prepared the evidence so that it was conclusive and usable in court. Special facial recognition software was also used to identify criminals. The investigators also benefited from their many years of experience in the Hambach police station, which meant that individual suspects could be identified quickly. Extensive interviews were also conducted with the officers involved and witnesses.
Investigation proceedings initiated
The Mönchengladbach public prosecutor’s office has so far ordered and implemented twelve public searches, which has led to the identification of two further suspects. Thirty-two criminal proceedings have been initiated against police officers, 21 of which were discontinued by the Mönchengladbach public prosecutor’s office.