Other protestors from the environmental protection group "Groenfront!" (Green Front) remained ensconced in the tree tops, and have refused to come down.

Police first arrested all the protesters on the ground who refused to leave the woods, and then began to dislodge those perched in trees.

At the same time, a logging firm retained to cut down the woods straddling the Dutch-German border began cutting down trees in an area that had already been cleared of protestors.

The environmentalists are backed by much of the local population, including the local fire service, which has refused to assist the law enforcement operation.

According to NATO, cutting down the woods is necessary to protect AWACS planes that use the adjacent airport.