German Police Stuck in Mud Taunted by 'Wizard' at Coal Mine Protest
Police officers were jeered by protesters as they scrambled to find their footing in a patch of deep mud during a demonstration against coal mining operations in Lutzerath, Germany, on Saturday, January 14.
A person dressed in robes, dubbed the “mud wizard” by social media users, was seen approaching the officers several times. At one point the person patted an officer on the arm, at another the person pushed an officer over. The person attempted to push a second officer over but ran away as police released a spray. Others were seen throwing mud at the police as they struggled to free their feet from the mud.
According to German media outlet Bild, more than 70 German police officers were injured during the anti-coal protests, mostly on Saturday, due to physical altercations and muddy grounds.
Climate activists have been protesting the lignite mine expansion since 2020 and had set up barricades and shacks around the village in western Germany.
Greta Thunberg posted from the site on January 13 and urged people to rally against the planned coal mine expansion. Credit: YouTube Martin Lejeune via Storyful
