Climate Activist Greta Thunberg Arrested at Climate Protest in The Hague

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, known for her unwavering commitment to the environment, was arrested by Dutch police during a protest in The Hague. The 21-year-old joined hundreds of protesters on Saturday in a march against fossil fuel subsidies.

The peaceful protest quickly escalated into a tense standoff as dozens of police officers, some on horseback, attempted to prevent protesters from blocking a main road. Greta Thunberg, along with other demonstrators, was placed on a bus and driven away from the scene.

The protesters had planned to block The Hague’s A12 highway, a location that has been subject to regular blockades since 2022. This demonstration marked the 37th time that Extinction Rebellion organizers have protested on the A12 highway.

Breaking ⚡ Netherlands🇳🇱

So Called world climate leader Greta Thunberg was detained by police in The Hague, Netherlands.

How Dare you 😏 pic.twitter.com/52pizBjb12

— Izlamic Terrorist (@raviagrawal3) April 6, 2024

The demonstration aimed to denounce the Dutch government’s tax concessions for companies connected to the fossil fuel industry, including energy firm Shell and airline KLM. Activists hoped to pressure the government ahead of a planned debate about fossil fuel subsidies in June.

Greta Thunberg, along with hundreds of other protesters in The Hague, carried placards with messages such as “Stop fuel subsidies now!” and “The planet is dying!”. A group of activists marched from the city center to a field next to the highway, where they were met by a wall of local police officers.

Greta Thunberg expressed the urgency of the situation to the AFP news agency, stating, “It’s important to demonstrate today because we are living in a state of planetary emergency. We must do everything to avoid that crisis and to save human lives.” When asked about her concerns regarding police action, she responded, “Why should I be?”

Greta Thunberg was later arrested, along with several other protesters, and driven away on a bus. According to Reuters, at previous protests in The Hague, police have driven detainees away from the protest’s epicenter and released them without further consequences.

As of around 14:00 local time (12:00 GMT), traffic was still flowing on the A12, according to the Netherlands’ AD newspaper. The Hague’s local police confirmed to the BBC that all of the people who were picked up by police and put onto minibuses were officially arrested for blocking the highway, which is against the law.

Greta Thunberg has been a leading climate campaigner since she was 15 years old. In February, she and four co-defendants were found not guilty of breaking the law when they refused to follow police instructions during a climate demonstration in London. This recent arrest in The Hague underscores her continued dedication to climate activism and the lengths she is willing to go to bring attention to the cause.

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