“Toonberry says ‘weird things’ at extreme weather rally…why was his microphone taken away?”
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Greta Thunberg, the Swedish environmental activist who was a strong candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 16, is facing criticism from some European media outlets that she can no longer be called a “pure climate crisis activist” after making a speech at a protest.
On the 12th (local time), Thunberg took the podium at a square in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The protest she attended that day was organized to urge the political circles to come up with measures for the climate crisis ahead of the Dutch general elections. As a keynote speaker, she warned, “We are not on the brink of a (climate) disaster, we are living in it,” and “There have been warnings, but those in power have not listened.”
However, what Thunberg said after this was completely different from what she had been saying. Thunberg continued to express her support for Palestine. She argued, “As climate activists, we must listen to the voices of the oppressed,” and “There can be no climate justice without international solidarity.” At that point, a protest participant wearing a green jacket, symbolic of environmental activists, took the stage and grabbed Thunberg’s microphone in protest.
According to footage reported by The Telegraph and others, the protester said, “I didn’t come here to listen to political opinions,” and “I came for a climate crisis protest.” Thunberg looked surprised, but the situation ended when other protesters wrestled the microphone back. The next day, outlets such as the Daily Mail reported that Thunberg was facing criticism for no longer being a pure environmental activist.
Thunberg has consistently expressed her opinion on the Palestinian issue. She has repeatedly posted messages and photos on her social media saying, “We stand with Gaza” and “Liberate Palestine.” She has also demanded an immediate ceasefire, stating that “Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip is wrong.”
However, there are concerns that Thunberg’s remarks could be misunderstood, especially in the current situation where Israel and Hamas, an Islamic extremist group, are engaged in combat following Hamas’s bombing earlier this month.
Particularly, Thunberg quoted Palestinian supporters claiming that “Israel is committing a massacre,” which was directly criticized by the Israeli military. Arye Sharuz Shalicar, a spokesperson for the Israeli military, was also criticized and apologized after claiming in Politico that “anyone who takes a position like Greta (Thunberg) is a terrorist sympathizer.” Shalicar argued, “Greta is ignoring the injustice of civilian victims on the Israeli side.”
While Thunberg opposes Hamas’s radical actions, she has continuously emphasized her claim that “Palestinians are being oppressed by Israel.” As a result, there is criticism that she is exploiting the halo she has built up as a climate crisis activist. There are even fake accounts impersonating Thunberg on social media, posting content that fuels the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
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Thunberg led a school strike in 2018 to protest against mainstream politicians who were silent about the seriousness of climate issues. In February of the following year, she sparked a ‘school strike for climate’ that drew participation from students in 125 countries and over 2,000 cities. Dubbed the ‘Joan of Arc of Climate Action’, she also criticized world leaders at the Climate Action Summit held at the UN headquarters.
In 2019, she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and was named Time’s Person of the Year. However, there have been accusations that her activism is tied to the publication of her parents’ book on climate change and that she uses plastic and disposable items in her daily life.
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