Image collection

Protests against the use of nuclear power and against waste-disposal plans culminated in the Castor transports to the interim storage facility in Gorleben. Particularly affected were the rail line from Lueneburg to the Dannenberg transshipment terminal and the subsequent road transport route into the Wendland region. The transports were regularly accompanied by large demonstrations and secured by a massive police presence. During the first transport in April 1995, around 4'000 protesters faced about 7'600 police officers. During the third transport in March 1997, the number of deployed police rose to as many as 30'000. The second transport on May 8, 1996 - a Castor container from the French reprocessing plant in La Hague to Gorleben - involved around 19'000 personnel and was described at the time as the largest police operation in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany. (luk)