Swedish court fines Greta Thunberg for disobeying police order
MALMO, July 24 (Reuters) - Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was found guilty of disobeying a police order to leave a climate protest in the southern Swedish city of Malmo last month and was sentenced to pay a fine, Malmo District Court said on Monday.
Thunberg, 20, who became the face of young climate activists world-wide after staging weekly protests in front of the Swedish parliament, admitted that she had disobeyed the police order but pleaded not guilty and said that she was acting out of necessity.
"It is absurd that those who act in line with science should pay the price for it," she told reporters in the court.
[1/4]Climate activist Greta Thunberg speaks during a press conference on the day of a court appearance at the Malmo District Court, in Malmo, Sweden July 24, 2023. TT News Agency/Andreas Hillergren/via REUTERS
Thunberg earlier told the court that her actions were justifiable. "I believe that we are in an emergency that threatens life, health and property. Countless people and communities are at risk both in the short term and in the long term," she said.
The court ordered Thunberg to pay 1,500 Swedish crowns ($144) and an additional 1,000 crowns to the fund for crime victims. The fine was applied in proportion to her reported income. Failing to disobey a police order carries a maximum sentence of six months in prison.
Thunberg and other activists from the group Reclaim the Future blocked the road for oil trucks in Malmo harbour on June 19. She was charged for failing to leave when ordered to do so by police.
($1 = 10.4088 Swedish crowns)
Reporting by Johan Ahlander and Tom Little; Editing by Simon Johnson and Tomasz Janowski
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Source: Reuters.com
