Swedish activist Greta Thunberg was dislodged by police on Wednesday in Oslo during a blocking movement initiated by Sami activists saying they were determined to “shut down the Norwegian state” to obtain the demolition of wind turbines declared illegal.
The young woman, wrapped in a scarf and a hat, was taken away by force, but without violence, by two policewomen while she was blocking a door of the Norwegian Ministry of Finance in the company of a dozen activists, also dislodged, according to television images.
Neither Greta Thunberg nor the activists were arrested and the young Swede fled the camera lenses, without making a statement, once she was put on the ground.
Shortly after, she was picked up again and taken away by force during the unblocking of another ministry, that of the Climate and the Environment, by the police.
“I will continue to participate in the protests,” she told the newspaper. Verdens Gang.
The Norwegian Supreme Court had found in October 2021 that two wind farms violated the right of Sami families to practice their culture, namely reindeer herding, in violation of a UN text relating to civil and political rights. .
But the highest court in the country had not ruled 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 “shut down 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 which are violated and of the rights of indigenous peoples which are not respected”, affirmed this one at the microphone of the TV2 channel, before being dislodged.
“It’s sad to have to resort to such methods for the right to survive,” she added.
The action began last Thursday with the occupation of the entrance hall of the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy by a handful of Sami dressed in their traditional blue and red costume.
Forcibly evacuated by the police in the night from Sunday to Monday, the activists, always more numerous, began this week to block access to ministries, gradually extending their action to a growing number of buildings.
According to local media, they chained themselves in front of the doors of ministries with chains and padlocks provided by a BDSM club (bondage, domination, sadism, masochism).
On Wednesday morning, the police dislodged them from an entrance to the Ministry of Finance. Oil and Energy Minister Terje Aasheim has canceled an official visit to the UK.
Criticized for their supposed slowness, the Norwegian authorities have pledged to respect the judgment of the Supreme Court and have ordered additional expertise in the hope of finding mechanisms allowing electricity producers and reindeer herders to coexist.