- Written by Ian Aikman & Anna Horrigan
- in london and the hague
Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg has been arrested by Dutch police during a protest in The Hague.
The 21-year-old joined hundreds of demonstrators Saturday against fossil fuel subsidies.
The protest turned into a standoff as dozens of police officers, some on horseback, tried to stop demonstrators from blocking a highway.
Local police put Thunberg on a bus full of protesters and drove her away from the scene.
Demonstrators plan to block the A12 motorway in The Hague for the 37th time, according to Extinction Rebellion (XR) organizers. The road has been subject to periodic closures since 2022.
The demonstration was called to denounce the Dutch government's tax cuts for companies linked to the fossil fuel industry, including energy company Shell and airline KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.
Activists hope to increase pressure on the government ahead of a debate on fossil fuel subsidies scheduled for June.
Extinction Rebellion organizers say this is the 37th protest on the A12 motorway
Surrounded by fellow activists, Thunberg marched to a designated protest site with a banner reading “End fossil fuel subsidies” behind her.
The world's most famous climate change activist tried to blend in with the crowd, but her star power drew more attention to this demonstration than the previous XR blockade of the A12 motorway.
A brass band played and demonstrators sang traditional Dutch songs with modern, climate-conscious twists.
Some newspapers reported that local residents were frustrated that climate change protests took place on the hottest day of the year so far, potentially making it harder for people to access The Hague's beaches. .
The group of activists then marched from the city center to a field next to the highway, where a wall of local police officers awaited them.
Several demonstrators broke through police lines but were quickly caught and handcuffed.
“We are in a global emergency so it is important to demonstrate today,” Thunberg told AFP news agency.
“We must do everything we can to avert that crisis and save lives.”
Asked if she was worried about police action, she replied: “Why should I be concerned?”
Thunberg was among a small group of climate activists who broke away and managed to reach the roads. More than 100 of them were put on minibuses commanded by police.
Swedish activists described her arrest as “peaceful”. She sat behind her and chatted before being driven away in her car.
At previous protests in The Hague, police removed detainees from the epicenter of the protests and released them without further repercussions.
Thunberg and others who managed to separate themselves from the colorful crowd and sit cross-legged on the A12 motorway were first asked by police if they would cooperate in boarding a bus. Those who refused were hoisted up with weapons and backpacks and loaded into vehicles.
Greta Thunberg was put on a bus with fellow detainees and driven away from the protest.
Later on Saturday, reports emerged that Thunberg had returned to protests and was arrested for a second time.
Police told the BBC that some of those arrested and released were later arrested again. It has not been confirmed whether Thunberg is among them.
Traffic was still flowing on the A12 as of around 2pm local time (12pm Japan time), Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad reported.
Local police in The Hague told the BBC: “While we cannot comment on individual incidents, we can confirm that everyone who was picked up by police and placed in a minibus for obstructing a motorway has been formally arrested.'' ” he said. It's against the law. ”
Thunberg has been a leader in the climate movement since she was 15 years old.
In February, she and four co-defendants were found not guilty of breaking the law for refusing to comply with police instructions during a climate demonstration in London.
