LUETZERATH : Climate activist Greta Thunberg was detained during protests on Tuesday against the demolition of a village in Germany to pave the way for the opening of an open cast coal mine.

Thunberg was detained while protesting at the mine at Garzweiler, nine kilometres from Luetzerath, the village facing demolition.

She was sitting there with a group of protesters near the edge of the mine.

Thunberg, who had joined the protesters on Friday, was seen sitting alone in a large police bus after her detention. “We are going to use force to bring you to the identity check, so please cooperate,” a policeman said to the group.

“Greta Thunberg was part of a group of activists who rushed towards the ledge. However, she was then stopped and carried by us with this group out of the immediate danger area to establish their identity,” a spokesperson for Aachen police said, adding one activist had jumped into the mine.

There was no official word about what would happen to Thunberg or the group she was detained with, or whether the activist who jumped into the mine was injured.

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2023