Was Greta’s protest arrest staged? Theory sweeps social media after Thunberg is filmed laughing with cops while posing for pictures moments before being detained at German coal mine

• The Swedish climate activist was removed by police at a German protest
• She and other activists were demonstrating against the expansion of a coal mine
• An online theory speculates that Greta Thunberg’s protest arrest was staged
• Police said: ‘There was no staging. The officers were definitely not posing’ 

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was filmed laughing with German riot cops while posing for pictures moments before being detained at coal mine protest

The 20-year-old was among dozens of climate activists who were detained by police officers yesterday during protests at a mine in the coal village of Lutzerath, in the North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany.

A theory has been circulating online that Thunberg’s protest arrest was in fact ‘all set up for the cameras’. German authorities have denied this claim.

A video shows Thunberg smiling and laughing with a man who appears to also be another protester as they are being held by officers.

Police officers detain climate activist Greta Thunberg on Tuesday during protests at a mine in Luetzerath

Greta Thunberg was seen smiling as she was carried away by riot police officers for the second time in three days while protesting at a coal mine in Germany

The activist had two policemen dressed in full riot gear guarding her, one is holding Thunberg by the arm and the other stands by her side with his arms folded.

A third person is heard laughing along with them off screen.

Then the Swede dons a serious face and stops laughing as a photographer steps forward to take pictures of her.

While in the background, a large number of riot officers are seen standing in a line.

Several photographers gather around Thunberg and start taking pictures as two officers then lead her toward a parking lot.

Police officers lead Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg away from the edge of the Garzweiler II opencast lignite mine 

It was reported by German news outlet BILD that police took Thunberg to the police trailer park where protestors were giving their personal details.

However the area was already full of other climate activists, so they brought her back – which is when the video was captured.

There was some confusion but after a few minutes they took her to a bus, as they were already aware of her identity.

Christof Hüls, spokesman for the Aachen police told BILD: ‘There was no staging. The police officers were definitely not posing. They were working on a mission. And as part of that, they had to wait.’

Climate activist Greta Thunberg gestures as she sits in a bus on the day of a protest against the expansion of the Garzweiler open-cast lignite mine of Germany’s utility RWE to Luetzerath, in Germany

The activists, who are protesting against the ongoing destruction of the village to make way for a coal mine expansion, clashed with riot police yesterday.

Thunberg, who joined the protesters on Friday, was seen sitting alone in a large police bus after having been detained on Tuesday afternoon.

It comes after Thunberg was physically removed from the same site by police on Sunday following protests.

Today, police said that Thunberg was part of a group of activists who had rushed towards the ledge of the Garzweiler open pit mine. The activists stood at the brink of the open pit, which has a sharp break-off edge, before clashing with police.

Police said it is dangerous and people were prohibited from staying there.

Thunberg was one of several protesters carried away by police from the mine’s edge in the afternoon.

One protester was able to enter the mine, RWE said, calling the move ‘very reckless,’ dpa reported.

Thunberg is pictured inside a group of protesters that was surrounded by several police officers

‘Greta Thunberg was part of a group of activists who rushed towards the ledge,’ a spokesperson for Aachen police said.

‘However, she was then stopped and carried by us with this group out of the immediate danger area to establish their identity.’

It was not yet clear what would happen to Thunberg or the group she was detained with, or whether the activist who jumped into the mine was injured, the spokesperson said.

Earlier, German news channel n-tv showed Thunberg inside a group of protesters that was surrounded by several police officers.

‘We are going to use force to bring you to the identity check, so please cooperate,’ a policeman said to the group of activists, according to Reuters footage.

Police and energy company RWE started evicting protesters from Luetzerath on January 11, removing roadblocks, chopping down treehouses and bulldozing buildings.

Activists have cited the symbolic importance of Luetzerath for years, and thousands of people demonstrated on Saturday against the razing of the village by RWE for the expansion of the Garzweiler coal mine.

Police officers carry Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg away from the edge of the Garzweiler II opencast lignite mine during the protests today

On Friday, Thunberg said Germany was ’embarrassing itself’ by expanding the mine, DW News reports.

‘I think it’s absolutely absurd that this is happening in the year 2023,’ she said.

‘The most effective people are clear, the science is clear, we need to keep the carbon in the ground.

‘When government and corporations are acting like this, are actively destroying the environment, putting countless of people at risk, the people step up.

‘This is only a part of a global climate movement and we stand together in solidarity.’

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