Documentary footage has emerged showing climate activist Greta Thunberg laughing at the idea of ongoing climate protests, a clip that has drawn significant backlash online. The scene, from a new documentary titled 'On Tanks into the Climate Crisis – How Activism is Criminalised,' features Thunberg reacting with amusement when informed that a Fridays for Future demonstration was still taking place.
"Really? They still do that?" Thunberg is heard saying in the clip, which was filmed by German journalist and filmmaker Hubertus Koch. Fridays for Future, a global movement Thunberg launched in 2018, has inspired millions of students worldwide to participate in climate demonstrations.
Koch defended the clip, stating on Instagram that it was "taken out of context." He explained that Thunberg has moved beyond traditional demonstrations, focusing on other forms of activism such as civil disobedience and legal challenges. According to Koch, Thunberg has concluded that organized demonstrations and panel talks have become "ineffective."
Critics online interpreted Thunberg's reaction as a dismissal of the movement she started. Some comments suggested her focus had shifted from climate activism to pro-Palestinian causes, with one user on X stating, "Climate was just the warm-up. Hating Israel is the real job." Others questioned her credibility, with one commenter remarking, "It suddenly isn't a problem anymore. So much for climate 'emergency'. Just shows the credibility that she has."
Thunberg's activism has increasingly centered on her vocal support for the pro-Palestinian cause in recent years. She has participated in protests supporting Palestine Action activists and has spoken out against what she described as "genocide against the Palestinian people," criticizing Ed Sheeran for attempting to "both sides" the issue.
Last winter, Thunberg was arrested in London while holding a sign in support of "Palestine Action prisoners" outside an insurance firm's headquarters. She has also been detained by Israeli forces while on a ship en route to Gaza.
Thunberg recently appeared at COP31 climate talks, her first since the 2021 Glasgow conference where she famously dismissed world leaders' promises as "blah, blah, blah." At COP31, she criticized the hypocrisy of host countries and the influence of lobbyists, stating that "our political and economic systems that have become incompatible with human nature." She warned that "climate change is 'threatening everything,'" and urged action to protect people and the planet rather than prioritizing the profits of a few.
