Greta Thunberg dislodged by police in action against wind turbines declared illegal

Greta Thunberg was dislodged by the police on Wednesday March 1 during an action in Oslo to obtain the demolition of wind turbines declared illegal. The Swedish activist blocked a door of the Norwegian Ministry of Finance, along with a dozen activists. According to images from a television channel, she was taken away by force, but without violence, by two policewomen. Neither Greta Thunberg nor the other activists have been arrested.

The Norwegian Supreme Court had concluded in October 2021 that two wind farms violated the rights of Sami families, an indigenous people of Lapland. The latter were prevented from practicing their culture, namely reindeer herding, in violation of a UN text relating to civil and political rights. The country’s highest court, however, did not rule on the fate to be granted to the 151 turbines which, just over 500 days later, are still in operation.

Sami activists are calling for the demolition of wind turbines installed in the Fosen region. Through the voice of musician Ella Marie Haetta Isaksen, they pledged to “close the state” as long as the turbines remain in place. They have been joined since Sunday by Greta Thunberg. “It is a question of human rights being violated and the rights of indigenous peoples not being respected”said the latter at the microphone of the TV2 channel, before being dislodged.