Police enter German village condemned to let mine expand

LUETZERATH, Germany (AP) — Police have entered a condemned village in western Germany, launching an effort to evict activists holed up at the site in an effort to prevent its demolition to make way for the expansion of a coal mine. Officers in riot gear moved into the tiny hamlet of Luetzerath, which has become a flashpoint of debate over the country’s climate efforts, on Wednesday. Environmentalists say bulldozing the village to expand the nearby Garzweiler coal mine would result in huge amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. The government and utility company RWE say the coal is needed to ensure Germany’s energy security.