Greta Thunberg was verbally accosted and physically jostled at a climate change protest in Amsterdam after she invited a Palestinian and an Afghan woman to speak onstage.
Thunberg was addressing tens of thousands of protestors when she brought the two women, Sara Rachdan and Sahar Shirzad, onstage. After their statements, an unidentified man came onstage and attempted to take the microphone from her.
“As a climate justice movement, we have to listen to the voices of those who are being oppressed and those who are fighting for freedom and for justice. Otherwise, there can be no climate justice without international solidarity,” Thunberg said, while wearing a keffiyeh, a scarf that is culturally significant in Palestine.
The man, who was wearing a jacket with the name of Dutch political party Water Natuurlijk, grabbed the mic from Thunberg and said: “I have come here for a climate demonstration, not a political view."
Thunberg wrestled the mic back while telling the man to "calm down." She then led the crowd in chants declaring "No climate justice on occupied land" as the man was led away by other protesters.
Israel escalates amid calls for ceasefire
The protest was the largest climate demonstration ever held in the Netherlands, according to its organizers. Over 70,000 people participated in the march, which was held just ten days before the upcoming national election.
Thunberg, who is a leading figure in climate change activism, recently expanded her weekly climate protests to encompass calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, in order to allow humanitarian aid to reach civilians. Over 11,000 Palestinians have been killed since Oct. 7, though the death toll has not been updated since Friday due to communications blackouts imposed by Israel.
"Today we are striking in solidarity with Palestine and Gaza," she wrote in October. "The world needs to speak up and call for and immediate ceasefire, justice and freedom for Palestinians and all civilians affected."
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