hl ▁was ▁first ▁mentioned ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁as ▁a ▁possible ▁site ▁for ▁a ▁nuclear ▁power ▁station . ▁In ▁the ▁years ▁that ▁followed , ▁local ▁opposition ▁stead ily ▁mounted , ▁but ▁this ▁had ▁little ▁impact ▁on ▁polit icians ▁and ▁pl ann ers . ▁Official ▁permission ▁for ▁the ▁plant ▁was ▁granted ▁and ▁earth works ▁began ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁February ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁On ▁ 1 8 ▁February , ▁local ▁people ▁sp ont ane ously ▁occupied ▁the ▁site ▁and ▁police ▁removed ▁them ▁for ci b ly ▁two ▁days ▁later . ▁ ▁Television ▁coverage ▁of ▁police ▁drag ging ▁away ▁far mers ▁and ▁their ▁w ives ▁through ▁the ▁mud ▁helped ▁to ▁turn ▁nuclear ▁power ▁into ▁a ▁major ▁national ▁issue . ▁The ▁rough ▁treatment ▁was ▁widely ▁condem ned ▁and ▁made ▁the ▁wine - g row ers , ▁cler gy , ▁and ▁others ▁all ▁the ▁more ▁determined . ▁Some ▁local ▁police ▁refused ▁to ▁take ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁action . ▁ ▁Sub sequ ent ▁support ▁came ▁from ▁the ▁nearby ▁university ▁town ▁of ▁Fre ib urg . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 3 ▁February ▁about ▁ 3 0 , 0 0 0 ▁people ▁re - occup ied ▁the ▁Wy hl ▁site ▁and ▁plans ▁to ▁remove ▁them ▁were ▁abandoned ▁by ▁the ▁state ▁government ▁in ▁view ▁of ▁the ▁large ▁number ▁involved ▁and ▁potential ▁for ▁more ▁ad verse ▁public ity . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 1 ▁March ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁an ▁administrative ▁court ▁with d rew ▁the ▁construction ▁lic ence ▁for ▁the ▁plant . ▁ ▁The