Climate activist Greta Thunberg has been found guilty of disobeying police orders during an environmental protest held last March in Sweden.
Thunberg, along with other activists, participated in a sit-in outside parliament, blocking an entrance on two separate occasions. Despite police orders to disperse, Thunberg refused to move, leading to her being forcefully removed by law enforcement.
"In a country like Sweden where I can protest, where I can use my voice, I have the right to do that, I have a moral obligation to do that” Thunberg said in an interview to the BBC.
Thunberg explained that she refused to comply with law enforcement's order to move because “it was an emergency,” referring to climate change. Thunberg also denied the charges of two counts of civil disobedience.
After the hearing, which took place on Wednesday, she called the ruling “absurd.” Thunberg was fined 6,000 Swedish crowns ($552) and was ordered to pay an additional 1,000 crowns ($92) in damages.
"Once again, I think it's painfully clear how absurd it is that it is peaceful climate protestors, like us youth, who are facing repression and are being faced with legal punishments in court for acting against this extremely deadly system, and for trying to change things." Thunbrug said to the BBC.
This is not the first time Thunberg has faced legal repercussions for her activism. She has previously been fined for civil disobedience several other times during protests in Sweden.
"We are currently heading in the wrong direction towards a very unstable and dangerous future," she said, adding it "shows how our laws which are supposed to protect us don't do that.”
Thunberg went on to say that "big companies and people in power" are "the people who are the real criminals" and "the people who are putting people in real danger" by disregarding the "rapidly escalating climate crisis.”
