Yesterday morning the Brugge police force emptied Lappersfort Forest. All environmental activists who had chained themselves into tree houses and tunnels have been taken. Five policemen have been injured.
The threatened land is the property of Fabricom and has been fully occupied since September 2008. Peace talks with the owners and a judge over the 3.2 hectares of land (Which has plans to be turned into industry and office ground) had been entered into to reach an agreement but had failed.

The activists chained themselves to the trees in the morning and chanted slogans as large numbers of police mobalised and entered the forest. 30 police constables cordoned off the area while 20 others - with specialist contracters - worked to remove the activists.

According to a spokesman for the Brugge police force 25 people have been obtained. Because some of the activists did not want to give their identities, immigration control has become involved. One activist has been taken to a prison on an immigration matter.
The activists who gave their identities will be released after 12 hours.
A large number of trees were cut down in a short space of time. The tree houses were also removed. According to the police, by yesterday evening 80% of the area to be 'developed' had been laid flat.

"Fabricom claim the social importance of serving the community and try to give themselves a green image" Says forest activist Robin "What they do in reality is put profits before nature and the population, of India the Amazon Rainforests and in Belgium. We find the increase of this type of megamultinational particuarly upsetting. They claim to be green, but where we see a forest, they see purely a speculation ground."