Greta Thunberg detained at coal protest in Germany

Greta Thunberg was among climate activists detained during a protest against the demolition of a German village to make way for a coalmine.

Thunberg was detained after sitting near the edge of the opencast Garzweiler 2 mine, about 5 miles from the village of Lützerath.

“We are going to use force to bring you to the identity check, so please cooperate,” a police officer said to the group.

Greta Thunberg among activists at the Garzweiler 2 mine near Lützerath. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Thunberg, who joined the protesters on Friday, was seen sitting alone in a large police bus after she was detained.

Riot police backed by bulldozers removed activists from buildings in the village with only a few left in trees and an underground tunnel at the weekend, but protesters including Thunberg remained at the site staging a sit-in into Tuesday.

A spokesperson for Aachen police said: “Greta Thunberg was part of a group of activists who rushed towards the ledge. However, she was then stopped and carried by us with this group out of the immediate danger area to establish their identity.”

Police surround the activists. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

The spokesperson said one activist jumped into the mine. They said it was not clear what would happen to Thunberg or the group she was detained with, or whether the activist who jumped into the mine was injured.

Thunberg sits in a police bus after her detention. Photograph: Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters

Thunberg was carried away by three police officers and held by one arm at a spot away from the edge of the mine. She was then escorted towards police vans.

The Swedish climate activist addressed the around 6,000 protesters who marched towards Lutzerath on Saturday, calling the expansion of the mine a “betrayal of present and future generations.”

“Germany is one of the biggest polluters in the world and needs to be held accountable,” she said.