Greta Thunberg Accuses Germany of Racist Behavior and Complicity
Greta Thunberg laughed in a documentary film at ongoing German climate protests, drawing sharp criticism before defending her reaction on Instagram by accusing Germany of racist behavior patterns and complicity in genocide, DIE WELT reported.
The 23-year-old activist posted the statement from Antalya, where she appeared before the world press on Thursday at the UN climate conference to demand stronger action against global heating. Her original response in the film showed her laughing and asking in disbelief when told that climate protests were continuing in Germany.
That reaction brought widespread criticism and irritation from former comrades. Thunberg explained in her Instagram post that she issued the explanation to contextualize her reaction, pointing to her actions earlier that same day when she blocked a German weapons manufacturer.
She also said that she learned about a police-approved climate demonstration taking place in a known white, bourgeois neighborhood. Thunberg appeared to direct her criticism at the Fridays for the Future movement around Luisa Neubauer.
Organizers of that demonstration included the same German climate movement that previously ended cooperation with Thunberg and publicly distanced itself from her, according to the activist’s statement. She said that the split occurred after she said that Palestinians are also human beings and must be explicitly included in demands for justice.
“Machen wir uns nichts vor: Die Welt macht sich über Deutschland lustig, weil das Land den Bezug zur Realität verloren hat und in zutiefst rassistischen Denk- und Handlungsmustern feststeckt, während es sich schamlos an Völkermord, Ökozid und der Klimakrise mitschuldig mache,” Thunberg wrote, adding that people of color in Germany have pointed out these connections for a long time.
Neubauer reacted outwardly calmly to the video footage. She maintained her focus on the cause and stated she refused to be distracted.
Protests continued on Friday across roughly 70 locations throughout Germany.
“Wir sind so viele, die sagen: Nee, wir bleiben am Ball und wir gucken auf all das, was wir zu erkämpfen und zu defendieren haben – komme, was wolle,” Neubauer told WELT TV.
Neubauer added that protesters do not need to agree on every form of protest or narrative, noting that Thunberg was also present at the COP31 climate summit alongside 10,000 other people refusing to give up.