Uproar at demo in Amsterdam
Organizers: Activist Rachdan not invited
November 13, 2023, 4:41 p.m
At a climate demonstration in Amsterdam, an activist hijacked the stage and accused Israel’s military of genocide. Fridays for Future figurehead Thunberg lets them have their way. For Green Party leader Lang, this is indecent and oppressive. The Swede can no longer be the face of the climate movement.
After the outrage over a speech by a Palestine activist at a climate protection rally in Amsterdam, the organizers of the demonstration distanced themselves. The woman took the microphone yesterday, Sunday, without prior consultation, a spokesman said. The activist took over the microphone on stage from Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and shouted that Israel’s military was committing genocide in the Gaza Strip. Numerous people reacted indignantly. Green Party leader Ricarda Lang also reacted with sharp words towards Thunberg.
According to the police, a good 85,000 people took part in the climate march. This made it the largest climate demonstration ever in the Netherlands. Thunberg was one of the official speakers and also took sides with the Palestinians against the backdrop of the Gaza war.
Meanwhile, activist Sara Rachdan confirmed on Instagram that she was not invited to speak. She further explained that she had not known Thunberg before. She was given access to the podium and also the microphone through another speaker – but the organizers initially put an end to this. But then Thunberg gave her the opportunity to talk about the situation in the Gaza Strip, where Israeli troops have been fighting the Islamist terrorist organization Hamas for a good month.
Rachdan is currently completing his doctorate at the medical faculty in Amsterdam. She recently called for protests against Israel in online media. Just two days after the massacre of Israeli citizens by Hamas, she said on Instagram: “It’s not about Hamas, it’s about the Palestinian resistance. The Palestinians are finally taking action against the occupation.” And she also repeatedly compares the violence in Israel with the Holocaust, the murder of millions of European Jews by German National Socialists.
Lang: “Discredited as the face of the climate movement”
Green Party leader Lang strongly condemned Thunberg’s public partisanship. “I have to say, I absolutely find these comments not only depressing, but absolutely indecent,” she said. “At this point, Greta Thunberg is abusing the absolutely necessary and correct concern of climate protection for a one-sided position on the Israel-Palestine conflict.”
Lang accused Thunberg of not naming the perpetrators and not condemning Hamas’ atrocities. One could almost say that she “ultimately swaps perpetrator and victim” and that Thunberg “brushes aside Israel’s right to exist.”
When asked about Thunberg’s repeated statements on the subject, Lang confirmed: “In fact, she has discredited herself as the face of the climate movement through these statements. I think that is clear.” Youth and climate movements do not always have to take a position on every issue. “But there must be clarity about fundamental values. And these fundamental values also include the protection of Jews.”
Thunberg said at the livestreamed rally in Amsterdam that the climate protection movement had a duty to “listen to the voices of those who are oppressed and who are fighting for peace and justice.” She also chanted several times: “No climate justice on occupied land.” (“There is no climate justice on occupied land.”) She was obviously alluding to the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel. At the event, she wore a traditional black and white Palestinian scarf around her neck.