Sweden Charges Greta Thunberg for Blockading Oil Port
Facts
- On Wednesday, it was reported that prominent climate activist Greta Thunberg has been charged with disobeying police in Sweden. The incident occurred during a protest at an oil port in June.1
- Thunberg joined a group of protesters blockading oil tankers at a port in Malmö Sweden last month. The group Ta Tillbaka Framtiden, or Reclaim the Future, blocked the port for six days.2
- Thunberg and three other demonstrators are scheduled to appear in court on July 24 to face charges of disobedience.3
- They face sentences of up to six months in jail. However, prosecutor Charlotte Ottosen told Swedish media that these cases predominantly result in fines.4
- Thunberg, 20, has been a prominent young face for the climate movement since she started her "Fridays for Future" self-led school strikes. She has since become known for challenging world leaders to take immediate action on climate change.4
Sources: 1The Telegraph, 2Public Radio of Armenia, 3New York Post, and 4DW.
Narratives
- Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by New York Post. Citizens have the right to peacefully protest, but not the right to protest in a way that disregards police orders and disturbs others. Thunberg is not being prosecuted for her political beliefs, but rather her flagrant disregard for the law.
- Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Green Matters. The real crime here is the continued use of fossil fuels that are killing innocent people and continuing to destroy the future of our planet. It’s no longer acceptable to be a passive bystander to this callous destruction of our environment, and Thunberg and other brave activists should be applauded for putting themselves on the line — even if it means being disruptive to law enforcement.