Radical Climate Activist Greta Thunberg Facing Criminal Charges, Could Face Six Months In Prison After Most Recent Demonstration

It seems possible that Greta Thunberg's latest photoshoot with police was more than just global warming propaganda with legal authorities for Sweden accusing the activist of defying police orders during her June climate rally in Malmö.

The young climate protester has been ‘arrested’ on numerous occasions, though so far no actual charge has stuck to her. The 20-year-old was taken away by police back in January at a protest being held in Western Germany, though no charges were ever actually filed against her, according to the BBC. Her semi-frequent run-ins with police have caused many to claim, given that she has not faced consequences, that the detainment is merely for photoshoots to bolster her image.

Sweden, however, is not stopping at just a little photo shoot. The Swedish authorities released a statement saying, “Charges have been brought against a young lady who, on June 19, participated in a climate awareness march. As per the prosecutor’s claims, this demonstration resulted in Malmö’s traffic being disrupted,” per CNN. It also added that the unnamed woman “refused to obey the police command to leave the scene.”

The statement failed to ever explicitly say that Thunberg was the woman, however, Annika Collin, a spokesperson for the Swedish Prosecution Authority, cleared the air, informing the media that it was Thunberg in the report. 

The climate activist could face a penalty or even potential imprisonment of up to six months, though it is highly unlikely someone as high profile as she will receive any serious punishment. 

“Today, for the third day in a row, young activists from @tatillbakaframtiden have blocked oil tankers in the Malmö oil harbour. The climate crisis is already a matter of life and death for countless people. We choose to not be bystanders, and instead physically stop the fossil fuel infrastructure. We are reclaiming the future,” Thunberg wrote in an Instagram post as the protest was raging on. 

The young activist also recently met up with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about the ecological damage that is being caused by the war in Ukraine, something that would seem significantly less important than ending the war. According to TIME, Thunberg was not the only climate activist to meet with the Ukrainian president. 

The arrest of Greta Thunberg may be something that could be exciting to those who aren’t a fan of her bizarre, and at times radical, views, but ultimately she will not be facing anything serious. Sweden's government may attempt to play up this arrest as something more than it is but doing so would only further increase her image among those that support her cause.

Despite providing absolutely nothing to the discussion, the young activist will not be going anywhere soon, especially not jail.