Greta Thunberg, the well-known climate activist, has been found guilty of disobeying police during a protest in Malmö, Sweden.
According to recent court reports. Thunberg, who has made a name for herself by leading global climate change protests, was fined just over 130 euros, equivalent to 1,500 Swedish kroner (US$144).
Thunberg made headlines several years ago when she called out developing nations, saying, “People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are at the beginning of a mass extinction. … How dare you!”
Seconds to Reuters Thunberg, 20, was convicted of refusing to obey a police order during a climate protest in June in the Swedish oil port of Malmö.
The DW reported that Thunberg pleaded not guilty; he admitted that he refused to obey police orders, but claimed that his actions were necessary.
The newspaper that calls cited she said: “I admit the facts, but I claim self-defense because of the global threat of the climate crisis.”
Thunberg added that she was responding to “an emergency that threatens life, health and property.”
Thunberg’s crime carries a possible sentence of up to six months in prison, according to prosecutor Charlotte Ottosen he said local newspaper Sydsvenskan.
After the sentencing, Thunberg returned to the scene to stage another blockade, this time accompanied by fellow activists from the group “Reclaim the Future” (“Ta tättät fårðin”).
The protest took place at an oil terminal in Malmö, a location chosen to highlight Thunberg’s cause against the fossil fuel industry.
Thunberg’s conviction has drawn mixed public reactions, highlighting the ongoing debate about the climate crisis, protest tactics and their intersection with the law. As Thunberg and her fellow activists continue their efforts to combat climate change, the limits of peaceful protest and law enforcement continue to be tested.