EA court in Sweden found a climate activist guilty of disobeying the police – but did not impose any punishment on him, citing the “climate emergency”. “It is an acute emergency,” said the court in Stockholm. Two of four judges argued that the defendant had acted “with the aim” of averting a danger to society. Prosecutors said Friday they had not yet decided whether to appeal the case.
The effects of climate change are “already visible,” said Wednesday’s ruling. Against this background, imposing a penalty is “manifestly inappropriate”.
The court thus followed the defendant’s argument. The 41-year-old took part in a climate protest in the center of the Swedish capital Stockholm in 2022. Climate activists blocked traffic. The man admitted taking part in the operation, but pleaded not guilty because he acted out of necessity due to the “ongoing climate emergency”.
#climate #emergency #punishment #Swedish #climate #activists