Climate activist Greta Thunberg apprehended during Palestinian demonstration
Greta Thunberg, the renowned climate activist, frequently joins pro-Palestinian demonstrations. At the University of Copenhagen, she joined a group action advocating for an end to collaborations with Israeli universities and was subsequently escorted off the premises by authorities.
Evidence from Danish newspapers "Politiken" and "Ekstra Bladet", along with a video from the protest organizers' Instagram, captured the 21-year-old being handcuffed and led away by law enforcement from a university structure, donning a Palestinian keffiyeh. Her fellow demonstrators repeatedly chanted, "You are not alone!" in support.
The police in Copenhagen confirmed the detainment of six protesters, without explicitly identifying whether Thunberg was among them. The apprehended individuals are suspected of trespassing, according to the police's announcement on Twitter. Thunberg herself shared clips of the demonstration on her Instagram Story, explaining that they were rallying due to the university's disregard of their demands, which included a call for an institutional academic boycott. She was referring to the KU suspending all partnerships with Israeli universities due to the Gaza conflict. This request has been a demand of the group 'Students against Occupation' for some time now, which spearheaded the protest action. The university's administration and museum buildings are situated in the city's core, near the famous Great Synagogue of Copenhagen.
Garnering global attention through her "School Strike for Climate," Thunberg's solitary protest ignited the global climate movement Fridays for Future. Ever since the beginning of the Gaza conflict in October 2023, the Swede has repeatedly utilized her significant social media influence to amplify the dire conditions experienced by the Palestinian populace in the Gaza Strip. Thunberg has been detained multiple times before, primarily during her climate activism protests. In May, she was also forcibly eliminated by law enforcement during a rally against Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest in southern Swedish Malmö.
Despite her history of protests, Thunberg's detention during the university demonstration sparked discussions about potential implications for her ongoing 'War with Israel' criticisms. In light of the escalating tension, some speculated about potential repercussions for her future climate activism.
With the University of Copenhagen under strain due to the controversy, rumors circulated about possible diplomatic ramifications for Denmark's relations with Israel, given Thunberg's high-profile stance on the subject.
