Thousands of anti-coal protesters celebrate German forest's reprieve

Court victory halts utility firm RWE's plan to raze Hambach woodland and expand an opencast mine

Thousands of anti-coal demonstrators descended on Germany's Hambach forest on Saturday to celebrate an unexpected court victory that suspended an energy company's planned razing of the woodland to expand a giant opencast mine.

The ancient forest near Cologne has been occupied by activists for the past six years and has become a symbol of resistance against coal energy in Germany, a country that despite its green reputation remains heavily reliant on this dirty fossil fuel.