Circulating reports allege the detainment of climate activist Greta Thunberg during a protest in Germany over the weekend was staged.
Thunberg was reportedly taken into custody by police during a demonstration against the expansion of a coal mining operation in the west German village of Lützerath.
Images of Thunberg being carried away by law enforcement were distributed widely by the media, but new video footage from the scene suggests the arrest may have been orchestrated for dramatic effect, according to an article published by the finance news site ZeroHedge.
In the footage, Thunberg is seen smiling and laughing with police and reporters, and is carried away by at least three officers.
But the footage also shows police stopping to pose for photos with the activist, rather than taking her directly to a vehicle.
Mainstream media reports say that Thunberg, a famous climate advocate, had been released from custody after an “identity check,” which raises questions about the legitimacy of the arrest.
The ZeroHedge piece argues that a “staged event would explain Thunberg’s big smile and the short duration of her detainment.”
“Greta Thunberg, the manufactured political product of her activist parents and a climate change regime desperate for a literal poster child, has never been one for sincerity,” the article states.
“Mostly known for her ability to conjure drama and gain attention from the mainstream media rather than any displays of scientific knowledge or skill in debate, Thunberg’s antics often appear to be more about herself than any legitimate concern for the environment.”
