Man dressed as wizard confronts riot police stuck in the mud

Описание: This is the surreal moment dozens of riot cops came unstuck - sinking in thick mud while trying to tackle a protest in a village in Germany.

Footage shows the bungling officers struggling to free themselves from the quagmire as they battled to disperse eco demonstrators in the Luetzerath hamlet, which is set to be demolished for a coal mine expansion.

Cheers erupted from the crowd when the cops fell over as they flailed around on the sticky surface on January 14.

At one point, a protester dressed as Friar Tuck emerged and shoved a police officer over, knocking them back into the sludge.

Some of the cops were able to free themselves from the predicament by hauling their legs out of the mud. While others had to be dragged to safety.

However, when officers tried to help their colleagues they often ended up stuck themselves.

Onlooker Martin Lejeune, a freelance journalist who recorded the incredible scene, said: "The police were weighed down by their kit. They were carrying so many gadgets and heavy boots, they just sank into the mud.

"It was quite dangerous for them and they made mistakes. It was dangerous for them at one point. I think they were pretty nervous and realised they had to retreat. They were vulnerable and could easily have been attacked.

"Everybody was fighting with the mud."

Lejeune said he weighs around 85kg and was able to negotiate the mud by being careful. He also said his footwear - light hiking boots - were more suitable to the conditions.

The bizarre scene came during the latest rally at the site.

Climate activists have been gathering at Luetzerath since January 11 protesting the expansion of the Garzweiler coal mine.

German police said some 300 protesters have been evicted as of Sunday, with two more still garrisoned in an underground tunnel.

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