Greta Thunberg fined for Parliament protest amid climate crisis

A Stockholm court fined climate activist Greta Thunberg on Wednesday for twice blocking the entrance to the Swedish parliament with other activists on March 12 and 14. These incidents were motivated by what she described as the "alarming climate situation."

During her trial, Thunberg acknowledged her failure to comply with police orders but denied that her actions constituted a crime.

The court acknowledged that the activists' blockade did not prevent parliamentarians from doing their work, as politicians used other entries in the building. However, the incident ignited a debate in Sweden over whether civil disobedience is acceptable when activists forego democratic routes of influencing politicians' decisions. Some commentators argued that adult and Stockholm University attendee Greta Thunberg could instead form a political party or run in elections with an existing group.

Thunberg, known for initiating the school strikes for climate on Fridays, was also detained in The Netherlands earlier in April after blocking a road, along with other activists. She had previously been fined for obstructing an oil port in Malmö.

In September 2019, Greta Thunberg received the Right Livelihood Award, also known as the "Alternative Nobel." She was honored alongside human rights activists from Western Sahara, Aminatou Haidar, Chinese lawyer Guo Jianmei, and Amazon forest defender Davi Kopenawa.