Greta Thunberg Detained In Germany Amid Open Coal Mine Protests

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has been detained by police in Germany overnight after protesting ongoing destruction of a village making way for an open coal pit mine.

Ms Thunberg was one of the hundreds of demonstrators who resumed anti-mining protests across multiple locations in North Rhine-Westphalia.

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She was one of the protestors sitting near the edge of the opencast Garzweiler 2 mine, about five miles from Lützerath village.

A spokesperson told Reuters Ms Thunberg was among the many detained to identify the protestors – with one even jumping into the mine.

“Greta Thunberg was part of a group of activists who rushed towards the ledge,” the spokesperson said.

“However, she was then stopped and carried by us with this group out of the immediate danger area to establish their identities.”

The spokesperson said it is unsure what will happen to Ms Thunberg or the other protestors in her group, and whether the people who jumped in the mine was injured. 

On Saturday, Ms Thunberg addressed the crowd of around 6,000 protestors who marched towards the village, labelling the mine expansion as a “betrayal of present and future generations”.

“Germany is one of the biggest polluters in the world and needs to be held accountable,” she said.

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