Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was briefly carried off by Norwegian police Wednesday after she and other activists blocked the entrance to Oslo’s finance ministry during an anti-wind farm protest.
Thunberg, who was sitting in front of one of the ministry’s doors forming a human chain with other activists, was carried away by two police officers who dropped her off on a nearby bench, without encountering any resistance, according to live footage from Norwegian media outlet Verdens Gang.
Thunberg then went around the building and attempted to block another entrance to the ministry, but was once again removed by police.
Along with Indigenous and climate activists, Thunberg was protesting the construction of the largest wind farm project in Europe, which is partly located on land traditionally used by the Sami Indigenous people. Statkraft, an electricity firm owned by the Norwegian state, is the project’s majority owner.
In October 2021, the Norwegian Supreme Court ruled that the turbines’ construction violated the rights of the Sami people, who have been using the land to raise reindeer for centuries — yet, more than a year later, the farms are still operating.
Sami and climate activists also occupied the entrance of the Norwegian energy ministry last weekend. They were joined by Thunberg during the night from Sunday to Monday.
“The Norwegian state is violating human rights and that is completely unacceptable and we need to stand in solidarity in this struggle,” Thunberg said earlier this week, according to Reuters.
“Today, 10 protesters have been moved from the entrance to the Ministry of Finance. Among the protesters who was moved away today was Greta Thunberg,” Oslo Police said, and added that the demonstrators were not detained.
Wilhelmine Preussen contributed reporting.
This story has been updated.
