Greta Thunberg, a Swedish activist working to combat climate change, is accused of staging her arrest at a German coal mine protest after video surfaced showing her seemingly laughing with officers.
Video appears to show Thunberg smiling and laughing with another protester during the purported photo-up. An officer wearing riot gear and a helmet holds Thunberg by the arm, while another stands nearby with his hands clasped. Along with them, a third officer laughs.
A photographer snaps pictures of Thunberg and the officers standing still, and she falls silent and serious. The background shows a large line of riot officers standing some distance away. She is then led to a parking lot by two officers as several photographers swarm around her.
TVisCOOL! tweeted “The fake arrest of #GretaThunberg! All set up for the cameras” The video has been viewed over 6.2 million times as of Wednesday morning.
Here’s another angle of Thunberg’s photo-op arrest.
German news agency DPA reported that police in western Germany removed Thunberg and other protesters from the edge of an open coal pit mine where they demonstrated against the destruction of a village for the mine’s expansion.
Greta Thunberg’s staged arrest at a German coal-mine protest will be sure to leave many of her followers feeling betrayed. Footage of the event paints a scene much different than the serious action they expected, with officers and protesters laughing together during what appears to be a five-second photo op. This “arrest” may have only been an attempt by Thunberg to gain more fame, not real activism. It is no wonder that some of Greta’s fervent followers may feel cheated when their trusted activist seems to be taking advantage of her fame and power for her own pursuits.
