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06th Jul 2023

Greta Thunberg charged over actions during climate protest

Rory Fleming

Greta Thunberg

The climate activist is set to face trial later this month.

Prominent climate activist Greta Thunberghas been charged over her role in a climate protest. The protest occurred last month in the Swedish city of Malmo at the city port’s oil terminal.

Thunberg was charged with disobeying police orders as protesters blocked traffic en route to the oil terminal.

Swedish prosecutors this week released a short statement which stated that a “young woman” was charged because she “refused to comply with police orders to leave the scene”.

Although the statement did not directly name Thunberg herself, it was confirmed by the Swedish Prosecution Authority spokeswoman Annika Collin that it was in fact the climate activist.

Thunberg was also arrested in Germany earlier this year. (Credit: Getty Images)

Greta Thunberg charged by Swedish prosecutors.

Thunberg is now set to face trial by the end of this month, with the crime of ‘disobedience’ usually only punishable by fines in the Scandinavian country.

The 20-year-old and her team are yet to issue a comment on the charges.

The Swedish activist was also arrested earlier this year in the rural German village of Luetzerath for her part in demonstrations against the construction of an opencast coal mine.

Thunberg initially rose to global prominence following her staging of weekly protests outside the Swedish Parliament, which began in 2018.

These protests gained traction online, paving the way for the activist to inspire a global youth movement demanding more substantial efforts to fight global climate change.

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