Politics

Man Grabs Greta Thunberg's Mic, Accuses Her Of Politicising Climate Protest After Pro-Palestine Chants

Swarajya Staff

Nov 13, 2023, 03:52 PM | Updated 03:52 PM IST


Pic Via Twitter
Pic Via Twitter

A man grabbed the microphone from Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg while she was speaking at an event in Amsterdam.

He accused Thunberg of promoting a pro-Palestinian stance at the climate protest after protesters chanted chants in support of Palestine.

This occurred after Thunberg invited a Palestinian and an Afghan woman to the stage to address the gathering.

The man alleged that Thunberg had politicised the climate march.

"Came here for a climate demonstration, not a political view", he said as he approached the 20-year-old climate activist, India Today reported.

He pulled the microphone from Thunberg, threw it to the ground, and walked off the stage.

At the event, Thunberg emphasised the importance of inclusivity in the climate justice movement, stating, “We have to listen to the voices of those who are being oppressed and those who are fighting for freedom and for justice. Otherwise, there can be no climate justice without international solidarity".

Adorned in a traditional Palestinian Keffiyeh scarf, Thunberg urged the man to "calm down." Following his removal from the stage, she united with the audience in a chant: "no climate justice on occupied land."

BBC reported that the attendees were chanting "Palestine will be free" prior to the microphone incident.

According to Reuters, Thunberg had handed the microphone to a Palestinian activist whose speech earlier was cut short by organisers when she used the controversial phrase "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free."

Many Jewish groups say the slogan is a call for the destruction of Israel. 

Thunberg's earlier social media post supporting Gaza sparked controversy and elicited a reaction from the Israeli military. In response, Israel's Education Ministry announced plans to eliminate all mentions of Thunberg from its school syllabi.


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