On Friday, the subdistrict court in Maastricht imposed fines of 90 to 240 euros on four activists around the occupation of the Sterrebos, in addition to VDL Nedcar in Born.
This is the first lawsuit against the 50 activists who were arrested during the occupation of the forest between January 28 and February 8. The other suspects will appear later.
No ID and trespassing
The fines were for not showing ID and for being in trespassing. The verdicts were in accordance with the requirement of the Public Prosecution Service.
50 activists in court
On February 8, the police put an end to the action. In total, at least 50 activists were arrested. 44 of them have to appear in court on April 8, and a few others before the magistrate on June 3 because of more serious suspicions. In the latter case, it concerns the alleged threat and theft of a sign with the inscription prohibited access.
A suspect present
“There seem to have been more no-entry signs around the forest than there were trees,” the judge told the only suspect who appeared on Friday. The 18-year-old Limburger Kasper H. was also the only one who showed his ID to the police.
He said he was not in the forest for pleasure, but because he fears for the future of the earth. “It is your right and perhaps duty to stand up for that,” the judge replied. “But if you decide to break the law, you must bear the responsibility for it.” The judge fined him 150 euros.
The three other suspects did not appear and remained anonymous.
Preventing Sterrebos
Action group Red Het Sterrebos went into occupation in an attempt to prevent the felling of a large part of the forest by VDL. In vain. Because the company, owner of the forest, has meanwhile felled the trees to enable the expansion of the Nedcar car factory.
The activists believe that VDL could also have expanded the factory elsewhere in the immediate vicinity.