Greta Thunberg detained amid protests at coal mine in Germany

German authorities detained Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg on Tuesday amid protests at a coal mine in the country.

A spokesperson for the local Aachen police told Sky News the 20-year-old activist was among a group of protesters who allegedly “stormed” toward the face of the Garzweiler open-cast mine, which officials described as “steep and extremely dangerous.”

According to multiple reports, authorities said at least one protester jumped into the mine, while not detailing whether the individual suffered any injuries. 

Thunberg was carried away from the area by several police officers, Reuters reported, adding she was later seen sitting alone inside a police bus.

“Greta Thunberg was part of a group of activists who rushed towards the ledge,” the Aachen police spokesperson told Reuters. “However, she was then stopped and carried by us with this group out of the immediate danger area to establish their identity.”

The Aachen police spokesperson noted that Thunberg, along with other activists who were detained by authorities, will be released later in the day. 

“There is no reason to hold them for days,” the spokesperson told Reuters. “It might take hours or they will go immediately.” 

Thunberg was detained two days after also being removed by German authorities at the coal mine.

Authorities removed Thunberg and other demonstrators from the village of Lützerath on Sunday after officials said they refused to comply with their efforts to clear the area. 

Demonstrators have protested the pending demolition of the coal village for the extension of the Garzweiler coal mine. 

Germany’s reliance on coal for electricity has increased in the past year due to restrictions on gas and oil imports from Russia amid the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine and also the shutdown of nuclear plants in the country, German broadcaster Deutsche Welle reported.

Thunberg recently called out the German government for their continued efforts on the coal mine extension, saying the country is “embarrassing itself right now.” 

“The most affected people are clear, the science is clear, we need to keep the carbon in the ground,” she said. “When governments and corporations are acting like this, are actively destroying the environment, putting countless pf people at risk, the people step up.”