Swedish activist, Greta Thunberg, has been charged in the Swedish court with disobedience. The young woman joined a group of climate activists and blocked oil tankers at a port in the city of Malmö during June, 19.
Reportedly, the police attempted to disperse the protest pacifically and asked the ecological defense group to leave the area. However, the 20-year-old ignored the police orders along with her peers from Ta Tillbaka Framtiden, which means “Reclaim the Future.” The young people blocked traffic in the Swedish area for six days. As a result, Thunberg and some group members could potentially face a prison sentence.
The BBC tried to contact the young activist, but one of her managers said she was unavailable to comment on the current issue. However, Swedish prosecutor Charlotte Ottosen referred to the situation in a report by the local news outlet Sydsvenskan. She told Thundberg her demonstrations were part of her freedom, as long as she did not affect others:
“You have the freedom to demonstrate, but you must not demonstrate in such a way that it causes disturbances for others.”
On the same line, Thunberg utilized social media to post the activities she had done with the group in Malmö harbor.“The climate crisis is already a matter of life and death for countless people. We chose to not be bystanders, and instead physically stop the fossil fuel infrastructure. We are reclaiming the future,” she stated on the post. Thunberg was called to be in court on July 24 with other three protesters. If found guilty she will have to serve six months in prison and a potential fine.
