Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg was captured laughing with German riot police while posing for photographs at a coal mine protest seconds before she was jailed.
The 20-year-old was among dozens of climate activists who were held by police yesterday during demonstrations outside a mine in the North Rhine-Westphalia coal hamlet of Lutzerath.
The online hypothesis that Thunberg’s protest arrest was staged for the cameras has gained traction. The German government has refuted this claim.
A video shows Thunberg smiling and laughing with what looks to be another protester while they are being detained by police officers.
The online hypothesis that Thunberg’s protest arrest was staged for the cameras has gained traction. The German government has refuted this claim.
The 20-year-old was among dozens of climate activists who were held by police yesterday during demonstrations outside a mine in the North Rhine-Westphalia coal hamlet of Lutzerath.
Greta Thunberg was observed laughing as she was being dragged away by German riot police for the second time in three days while demonstrating outside a coal mine.
Two police officers in full riot gear are protecting the activist; one is holding Thunberg by the arm, while the other stands at her side with arms folded.
A third individual is heard laughing off-screen with them.
The Swede adopts a serious expression and stops laughing as a photographer approaches to snap photographs of her.
A big number of riot cops are observed standing in line in the backdrop.
Several photographers congregate around Thunberg and begin to photograph her as two officers lead her into a parking lot.
Greta Thunberg, a Swedish climate activist, is escorted away from the Garzweiler II open-pit lignite mine by police forces.
German news site BILD said that police escorted Thunberg to the police trailer park where protestors were providing personal information.
However, the location was already crowded with climate activists, so they brought her back – at which point the video was taken.
After a few minutes of misunderstanding, they led her to a bus because they were already aware of her identity.
Christof Hüls, a spokeswoman for the Aachen police department, informed BILD that there was no staging. The police officers were not posing in any way. They were engaged in mission activity. In addition, they were required to wait.’
Greta Thunberg gestures while seated on a bus during a protest against the extension of the Garzweiler open-pit lignite mine of Germany’s utility RWE to Luetzerath, in Germany.
Yesterday, protestors opposing the continuous demolition of the community to make room for the construction of a coal mine clashed with riot police.
Thunberg, who joined the demonstrators on Friday, was spotted sitting alone in a large police bus on Tuesday afternoon, following her arrest.
Following protests on Sunday, Thunberg was physically removed from the same location by police.
Today, authorities stated that Thunberg was a member of a group of activists who rushed the ledge of the Garzweiler open pit mine. Before clashing with police, the demonstrators stood on the edge of the open pit, which has a dangerous break-off edge.
According to the police, the area is unsafe, and no one is permitted to remain there.
Thunberg was one of several demonstrators hauled away by police in the afternoon from the mine’s edge.
RWE stated that one demonstrator was able to enter the mine, calling the action “extremely reckless,” as reported by dpa.
Thunberg is depicted within a group of demonstrators surrounded by multiple police officers.
Greta Thunberg was part of a group of protestors who raced toward the cliff, according to a police spokesperson in Aachen.
However, she was halted and transported out of the immediate danger zone with the group in order to determine their identities.
The spokeswoman stated that it was unclear what would happen to Thunberg or the group she was detained with, or whether the activist who plunged into the mine was hurt.
Earlier, the German television outlet n-tv portrayed Thunberg within a group of demonstrators surrounded by multiple police officers.
According to Reuters film, a police officer stated to the group of activists, “We will use force to bring you to the identity check, so please cooperate.”
On January 11, police and RWE began removing demonstrators from Luetzerath by dismantling obstacles, cutting down treehouses, and bulldozing buildings.
For years, activists have underlined the symbolic significance of Luetzerath, and on Saturday, thousands of people rallied against RWE’s demolition of the village for the expansion of the Garzweiler coal mine.
During the protests today, police officers remove Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg away from the edge of the Garzweiler II open-pit lignite mine.
DW News says that on Friday, Thunberg stated that Germany was “embarrassing itself” by extending the mine.
She stated, “I find it absolutely absurd that this is occurring in the year 2023.”
“The most effective individuals are clear, the science is clear, and we must keep carbon in the ground.”
“When government and corporations behave in this manner, actively destroying the environment and putting countless people in danger, the people rise to the occasion.”
This is simply a portion of the global climate movement, and we stand united.
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