Greta Thunberg fined in Stockholm for parliament protest amid climate crisis

Climate activist Greta Thunberg was fined by a Stockholm court on Wednesday for twice blocking the entrance to the Swedish parliament, along with other activists. These incidents occurred on March 12 and 14. She justified her actions by pointing to the "alarming climate situation".

During the trial, Greta Thunberg admitted that she did not comply with police orders, yet she denied committing a crime.

According to the court, the activists did not prevent parliamentarians from doing their work, as politicians could use other entrances in the large building.

However, the blockade ignited a debate in Sweden over whether civil disobedience is justified when ecologists bypass democratic methods of influencing politicians' decisions. Some commentators suggested that Greta Thunberg, an adult who studies at Stockholm University, could form a political party or stand as a candidate with one of the existing parties.

Greta Thunberg initiated the school strikes for the climate, known as "Fridays for Future". She was detained in the Netherlands in early April after blocking a road alongside other activists. Previously, she had been fined for obstructing an oil port in Malmö.

In September 2019, Greta Thunberg was awarded the Right Livelihood Award, often called the "alternative Nobel." The activist was honoured alongside Aminatou Haidar, a human rights activist from Western Sahara, Chinese lawyer Guo Jianmei, and Amazon forest defender Davi Kopenawa.