What Did Greta Thunberg Do? Here’s Why She Was Detained

Greta Thunberg was detained at a German coal protest. New reports coming in has it that she has been released.

Greta Tintin Eleonora Ernman Thunberg is a Swedish environmental activist who is known for challenging world leaders to take immediate action for climate change mitigation. Thunberg’s activism began when she persuaded her parents to adopt lifestyle choices that reduced their own carbon footprint.

On 17 January 2023, she was reportedly detained. Thunberg was held at the Garzweiler 2 mine near the village of Lützerath, but released after an identity check. This is everything we know.

Why was Greta Thunberg detained?

According to CNN, Climate activist Greta Thunberg has been detained by German police at a protest over the expansion of a coal mine in the west German village of Lützerath, CNN affiliate N-TV reports.

Thunberg joined thousands of other activists and protesters taking part in weekend demonstrations against the razing of the German village that would make way for an expansion of the Garzweiler lignite coal mine, which is owned by European energy giant RWE.

Thunberg, who joined the protesters on Friday, was seen sitting alone in a large police bus after she was detained.

Riot police backed by bulldozers removed activists from buildings in the village with only a few left in trees and an underground tunnel at the weekend, but protesters including Thunberg remained at the site staging a sit-in into Tuesday.

A spokesperson for Aachen police said: “Greta Thunberg was part of a group of activists who rushed towards the ledge. However, she was then stopped and carried by us with this group out of the immediate danger area to establish their identity.”

The spokesperson said one activist jumped into the mine. They said it was not clear whether this person was injured.

Thunberg was among other activists who were released after an identity check, according to police.

The Swedish climate activist addressed the around 6,000 protesters who marched towards Lutzerath on Saturday, calling the expansion of the mine a “betrayal of present and future generations.”

“Germany is one of the biggest polluters in the world and needs to be held accountable,” she said.

Reuters also confirms that the police have released Greta Thunberg after brief detention at a German mine protest.