Climate activist after microphone incident with Greta Thunberg: “I felt abused” Bruce Darnell speaks about experiences of abuse as a child

The Dutch climate activist, who opposed Greta Thunberg during a meeting in Amsterdam after she again clearly sided with Palestine in the Gaza war, warns of a division in the climate protection movement. “If Greta Thunberg or other leading activists constantly talk about the Palestinian issue, it causes division,” Erjan Dam told Spiegel in an interview published on Monday evening.

“People with a different opinion are shocked by such speeches. “That is detrimental to the cause,” Dam continued, demanding: “The climate protection movement must focus on its core issue: climate protection.” In any case, he was disappointed: “I felt abused, and so did many other participants.”

Dam, a retired physiotherapist who, according to Spiegel, has been committed to nature and water conservation for years, jumped on stage in front of the cameras on Sunday and shouted into the microphone: “I came here for a climate demonstration, not to hear political views.” Thunberg then called on participants to remain calm and chanted several times: “There is no climate justice on occupied land.” She was clearly referring to the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories.

Following a similar move last month, Thunberg was already criticized for not specifically mentioning the Israeli victims of the October 7 Hamas massacre that left about 1,200 dead. According to organizers, approximately 85,000 people took part in the climate demonstration; It was the largest demonstration of this kind in the Netherlands to date.

Dam further said in the interview that he had always admired Thunberg. “But if she constantly talks about Palestine instead of climate protection, it does not do the climate protection movement any good.” Like many others, he ‘traveled to Amsterdam especially for this demonstration’. But the protest was hardly about climate protection or the environment, “but mainly about the Palestinian problem.” Speakers on stage talked constantly about the Middle East; some had stoked anti-Israel sentiment. “We came to protest for climate protection.” Many listeners were so disappointed that they walked out. At one point he climbed onto the podium to say “this is about climate protection and not about the Middle East.” (sda/dpa)