GRETA Thunberg has been removed by police for again trying to block access to a Swedish oil facility, hours after being fined by a court for disobeying officers during an environmental protest at the site.
Thunberg, 20, had earlier admitted to the facts behind the previous protest but denied guilt, saying the fight against the fossil fuel industry was a form of self-defence due to the existential and global threat of the climate crisis.
“We cannot save the world by playing by the rules,” she told journalists after hearing the verdict, vowing she would “definitely not” back down.
READ MORE: Greta Thunberg to speak at Edinburgh book festival
The court rejected her argument and fined her 2,500 kronor (about £187).
Charges were brought against Thunberg and several other youth activists from the Reclaim the Future movement for refusing a police order to disperse after blocking road access to an oil terminal in the southern Swedish city of Malmo on June 19.
“If the court sees our actions of self-defence as a crime, that’s how it is,” said Irma Kjellstrom, a spokeswoman for Reclaim the Future who was also at the June protest.
READ MORE: Greta Thunberg has the perfect response to this GB News presenter
She added that activists “have to be exactly where the harm is being done”.
The sentencing appeared to have little effect on the youths’ determination — Thunberg and Reclaim the Future activists returned to the oil terminal in the afternoon to stage another roadblock and were eventually removed by police.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here