German court grants Aachen police jurisdiction over Lützerath activist

The Higher Administrative Court of North Rhine-Westphalia has ruled that the Aachen Police Headquarters has the authority to perform identification processing on a climate activist involved in the Lützerath protests.

The activist, a resident of Jena, had attempted to prevent the clearing of the Lützerath site by hiding inside a concrete barrel. During the protest, the individual used paint on their face and glued fingertips to conceal their identity. The activist had previously been involved in various blockades and occupations related to fossil fuel infrastructure between 2021 and 2023, facing allegations of trespassing, coercion, and resisting law enforcement.

While a lower court in Aachen had previously ruled that the local police lacked jurisdiction because the activist did not reside in the area, the Higher Administrative Court overturned this decision. The court determined that jurisdiction is determined by the occasion of the investigations rather than the individual's place of residence. The ruling does not allow for an appeal via revision, though a complaint to the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig remains an option.