Greta Thunberg detained in Brussels protest over fossil fuel subsidies

During a protest in Brussels on Saturday calling for the European Union to stop subsidizing fossil fuels, Belgian police detained climate activist Greta Thunberg. Thunberg was joined by hundreds of demonstrators from Extinction Rebellion and United for Climate Justice (UCJ), who staged sit-ins and blocked roads near key EU institutions.

Greta Thunberg detained at Brussels protest

The protest, which aimed to pressure the EU to end financial support for the fossil fuel industry, took place just kilometres from the European Parliament and European Commission. Demonstrators, and protesters, including Thunberg, formed a blockade at Boulevard du Jardin Botanique, where police eventually surrounded them. As activists were detained, onlookers chanted, “You are not alone.”

🗣️The oceans are rising, and so are we!

📌Rogier pic.twitter.com/i2sq6NKKJI

— stopfossilsubsidies (@stopfossilsubs) October 5, 2024

In a statement, UCJ spokesperson Paolo Destilo criticized European leaders for their continued support of the fossil fuel industry. “Our politicians have failed us,” Destilo said. “The ongoing subsidies raise serious questions about their commitment to effective climate action.”

The EU spent over 123 billion euros ($135 billion) on fossil fuel subsidies in 2022, according to a European Commission report. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, policy changes were the main factor driving this increase. Despite promises under the EU’s Eighth Environment Action Program to phase out subsidies, national governments have yet to take significant action, leaving progress uncertain, according to the European Environment Agency.

Angela Huston Gold, another UCJ spokesperson, highlighted recent natural disasters in Europe and Africa as a warning of continued fossil fuel use. “Increasingly frequent and extreme natural disasters could claim a billion victims by the century’s end,” Gold said, urging an immediate end to fossil fuel subsidies.

UCJ urges EU to end subsidies

Earlier this week, UCJ sent an open letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and other EU leaders, calling for a complete phase-out of subsidies by 2025. The letter emphasized the need for a clear timeline and financial assistance to member states.

Despite von der Leyen’s earlier statements about reducing oil and gas subsidies, the EU continues to spend billions annually to support fossil fuel industries. Thunberg has voiced her disappointment, stating that von der Leyen is “not a green champion” in the fight against climate change.

Thunberg, who gained international recognition at 15 as the founder of the global climate school strikes, has been arrested numerous times for her activism. Just weeks before, she was detained during a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Denmark.

The Saturday protest is a component of a larger wave of climate action that UCJ and Extinction Rebellion have planned for Europe. Activists handed out materials, calling for more protests in late October to pressure EU leaders.

What’s next?

As climate action intensifies, UCJ and other climate groups vow to scale up their efforts in Brussels and beyond. “We need to disrupt, demonstrate, and highlight the climate crisis,” Huston Gold stated. “The European Commission has promised change—now it’s time for them to deliver.”

Thunberg and the other detained protesters were released, but their message remains clear: the fight to end EU fossil fuel subsidies isn’t over.

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