Climate activist Greta Thunberg has been received with frenetic jubilation in the UK. Hundreds of protesters from the Extinction Rebellion Movement greeted her with "We love you" shouts at Marble Arch at Hyde Park in London. The Swede had traveled to London after a visit to Rome and a handshake with Pope Francis by train. There she also wanted to meet with Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn and the Greens leader Caroline Lucas.
The 16-year-old Swede again criticized the lack of readiness of the politicians to act against climate change. "For far too long, politicians and people in power have stood in the way, without doing anything to fight the climate crisis and the ecological crisis," she said. "But we'll make sure they can not get away with it."
Victoria Jones / DPA
The people of London celebrated Thunberg like a pop star.
With school strike as a role model
With her school strike she had become the model of thousands of climate-protesting students and young adults. "We gathered today because we chose which path to take, and now we are waiting for the others to follow our example."
Extinction rebellion and the participants of the student protests are the ones who would make a difference. "We will never stop fighting for this planet and for ourselves, our future and the future of our children and grandchildren," said Thunberg.
At least 831 people arrested
The protesters of the Extinction Rebellion did not fare well with the British authorities. After demonstrations by the group, 831 people have been arrested in recent days, and the English newspaper "The Guardian" even wrote 963. The movement had paralyzed parts of the transport network over the weekend.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan told the Guardian that these disruptions are "counterproductive" in the fight against climate change.
Thunberg had previously visited Rome and after a handshake with Pope Francis on the train to London traveled.