Eco-activist Greta Thunberg slapped with fine after 'disobeying' police

Greta Thunberg at her trial in Sweden (Image: Getty)

Climate activist Greta Thunberg has been slapped with a fine by a Swedish court.

The 21-year-old environmentalist twice blocked the country's parliament during a sit-in, leading her to be fined £440 by Stockholm District Court, and £73 in damages.

According to a reporter from AFP, she denied the charges of two counts of civil disobedience.

Ms Thunberg told the BBC: "Once again, I think it's painfully clear how absurd it is that it is peaceful climate protestors, like us youth, who are facing repression and are being faced with legal punishments in court for acting against this extremely deadly system, and for trying to change things."

She went on: "We are currently heading in the wrong direction towards a very unstable and dangerous future," and added that it "shows how our laws which are supposed to protect us don't do that".

She dubbed "big companies and people in power" as "the people who are the real criminals", calling them "the people who are putting people in real danger" by their lack of care for the "rapidly escalating climate crisis".

Thunberg's latest fines came after she and a small band of activists blocked Swedish politicians entering their parliament building, over alleged inaction over climate change. Politicians were able to use a second entrance.