Man who interrupted Greta Thunberg's speech in Amsterdam makes headlines worldwide
The man who climbed onto the stage at the climate march in Amsterdam on Sunday afternoon and grabbed the microphone from Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg is a former candidate member of Water Natuurlijk, the largest water board party in the country. His intervention was reported in several foreign newspapers, according to AD on Monday.
The man acted after Thunberg gave the floor to a Palestinian woman, whose speech was previously cut off. The woman, named Sara, was initially given the floor by Sahar Shirzad, winner of the PAX Peace Dove in 2023 and one of the invited speakers.
Shirzad, who spoke before Thunberg, drew attention to the Palestinian cause and handed the microphone to Sara, who was not invited by the organization, according to NRC. She then uttered the controversial slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” which appeared to prompt the organization to turn off the microphone.
After Shirzad's speech, Greta Thunberg took the stage and began her speech by saying that the climate movement must listen “to the voices of those who are oppressed and those who fight for freedom and justice,” because “there can be no climate justice without international solidarity.” She then gave the microphone to Shirzad and Sara, who called for a ceasefire in Gaza.
After the Palestinian and Afghan women spoke and Thunberg resumed her speech, a man wearing a green jacket from the water board party Water Natuurlijk came onto the stage, took her microphone and said, “I have come here for a climate demonstration, not a political view,” before being ushered off the stage.
This incident caused some confusion on stage and among the crowd. Thunberg called for calm, shouting “Calm down!" several times, followed by “no climate justice on occupied land.”
AD reported that the man's intervention has garnered headlines worldwide, and he has received interview requests from foreign newspapers on his social media. He does not wish to comment on what happened, a party spokesperson for Water Natuurlijk said. At his request, his name was removed from the party's website, according to the party spokesperson.
“He is shocked by what his action has caused. None of this was his intention. He felt that the climate march was being put in a bad light and wanted to change that. He did this with a warm heart for climate and water, which we as a party also stand for,” the spokesperson said. The party cannot say whether the man actually regrets his action. “He mainly wants to let it rest now.”
Water Natuurlijk said in a statement published on Monday that such actions do not align with their organization. "We would like to emphasize that this action was entirely in a personal capacity and does not represent the views or methods of Water Natuurlijk." The party also stated that it distances itself from “any form of political polarization that distracts from the crucial topic of climate change." "We remain focused on our mission for a sustainable and environmentally friendly future," the statement concluded.
