Climate activist Greta Thunberg stated she was "disappointed" at Sweden's legal system after she was found guilty of disobeying Swedish police and issued with a fine on Monday at a court in Malmo.

The incident occured when Thunberg disobeyed police during an environmental protest at an oil facility last month.

Thunberg, 20, admitted to the facts but denied guilt, saying the fight against the fossil fuel industry was a form of self-defence due to the existential and global threat of the climate crisis.

“We cannot save the world by playing by the rules,” she told journalists after hearing the verdict.

The court rejected her argument and fined her 2,500 Kronor (US$240).

Charges were brought against Thunberg and several other youth activists from the Reclaim the Future movement for refusing a police order to disperse after blocking road access to an oil terminal in the southern Swedish city of Malmö on June 19.

“If the court sees our actions of self-defense as a crime, that’s how it is,” said Irma Kjellström, a spokesperson for Reclaim the Future who was also present at the June protest.

"We have to be out in the oil ports defending our lives, because apparently currently the states and other power actors are not ready to do what's needed," Kjellström added.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Malmö, Sweden - 24 July 2023

1. Greta Thunberg and activists walking to microphone cluster

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Greta Thunberg, climate activist:

"We just learned that I got 30 day fines for disobeying the police, which was expected."

3. Close of camera

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Greta Thunberg, climate activist:

"We are definitely not going to back down because of this. We know that what we are doing in some circumstances are seen as, as this (ie illegal), but right now we don't have any laws that holds the carbon in the ground. We don't have any laws that long term protect us against the self-destructing greed that we have let in full control over the world. The laws have to be changed. We know that we cannot save the world by playing by the rules because the rules have to be changed."

5. Pan of briefing

6. Mid of Thunberg

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Greta Thunberg, climate activist:

"I'm not disappointed, I'm disappointed at the system, but I didn't expect anything else than this. We know that the current laws that we have now are insufficient in addressing the climate emergency."

8. Close of camera screen

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Irma Kjellström, Reclaim the Future spokesperson:

"We don't feel intimidated by the actions of the Swedish court. If the court sees our actions of self-defense as a crime, that's, that's how it is. Rather, it's even more clear than it would have been otherwise that we have to be exactly where the harm is being done, that we have to be out in the oil ports defending our lives, because apparently currently the states and other, and other power actors are not ready to do what's needed."

10. Various exteriors of court building