Police clear protest camp: action group to protect the forest dissolved!

Police clear protest camp: action group to protect the forest dissolved!

Today, November 12, 2025, the police in Hesse cleared a protest camp of environmental activists in the forest near Langen at around 4:30 a.m. The camp, which has been run by the “Forest Instead of Asphalt” group since the summer of 2024, aimed to protect the adjacent forest from planned deforestation. This clearing is intended for gravel and sand mining and is based on a permit that has been in place since 2013.

The action was peaceful, but in order to clear the camp, officials had to remove more than 50 activists, of whom only eight people were still present on Wednesday. Two protesters who were in treetops were brought down unharmed. Eight people were temporarily arrested and criminal proceedings were initiated against them for trespassing and administrative offenses. The activists should be released after their identities have been established.

Background and effects

Clearing the forest has been legally permitted since 2022 after the Darmstadt regional council revoked the protected status of the area. This decision was also confirmed by the Federal Administrative Court in 2022. The city of Langen argues that its property rights are being violated by the protest participants and describes the camp as incompatible with the rule of law. Walkers had already been warned about the illegal camp in advance and the public order police had cordoned off the area.

The damage to the forest caused by the camp is estimated at over 200,000 euros. The activists, on the other hand, repeatedly emphasize the importance of the forest for climate protection and the quality of life of the people in the area. Managing director of the Sehring company, which is behind the deforestation project, sees the protest as anti-democratic and justifies the approval for deforestation with economic interests.

The city of Langen is in a complicated legal situation. She recently lost in the administrative court when she tried to have an activist vigil moved. The debate about forests and conservation goals has intensified as more and more people become aware of the importance of such areas.

Overall, the incident in the forest near Langen shows how tense the situation is between environmentalists and economic interests in the region and makes us ask: How will this conflict situation develop in the future? The discussion about the preservation of natural areas continues to be very popular and will certainly continue to cause a stir in the coming weeks.

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