Wednesday, June 17Wednesday, June 17Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and five co-defendants were charged in Copenhagen on Wednesday with trespassing after prosecutors sought fines in a case stemming from a 2024 protest at the University of Copenhagen. The indictment, obtained by the Danish wire service Ritzau, alleges the six entered a university building on 4 September 2024 without permission during a demonstration organised by Thunberg’s movement. The Copenhagen City Court confirmed that fines are being sought, though no trial date has been set.
The charges follow a two-year investigation and mark the first time Thunberg has faced formal legal consequences for civil disobedience in Denmark. The protest took place during a broader wave of climate actions across Europe, when activists repeatedly targeted government and academic sites to pressure institutions over fossil-fuel investments. University officials said at the time that the building was closed to the public and that police removed the demonstrators after warnings were ignored.
Thunberg’s legal team has not publicly commented on the indictment, but her supporters argue that civil resistance is necessary to force urgent climate policy changes. The case coincides with renewed scrutiny of protest tactics across the continent, where courts have handed down mixed rulings on whether climate demonstrations constitute legitimate civil disobedience or criminal trespass.
Denmark’s climate ministry declined to comment, citing the ongoing legal process. The university confirmed that it had filed a complaint in 2024 but said it would not make further statements while the matter is before the court. Legal analysts note that Danish trespass cases typically result in modest fines rather than custodial sentences, though the exact penalties sought by prosecutors have not been disclosed.
The development comes as Thunberg remains a polarising figure in European politics, celebrated by environmental campaigners and criticised by conservative lawmakers who argue that disruptive protests undermine democratic debate. Her organisation did not respond to requests for comment on Wednesday. The Copenhagen City Court has scheduled no further hearings in the case, and no trial date has been announced.
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