In Sweden, climate activists are planning to paralyze traffic over the Easter weekend. Under the banner of protecting the environment, activists across Europe are organizing such protests, showing little concern for others, including patients needing emergency care in ambulances stuck in traffic jams. In fact, there have been instances where their actions ended in tragedy.

The radical environmental group Restore Wetlands is threatening to disrupt transport infrastructure in Sweden over the Easter weekend. The group has previously organized similar protests that caused significant traffic disruptions in Stockholm, and on several occasions, ambulances were stuck in the resulting gridlock — once even with a critically ill patient onboard. In recent weeks, the group also staged an action at an airport, and on Wednesday, they stormed the 400-year-old Vasa ship at the Vasa Museum in Stockholm.

The Swedish news outlet Samnytt recalled an earlier protest when activists blocked a road next to a hospital. The climate extremists were convicted by the Solna District Court for sabotage and disrupting public order, but were later acquitted by the Svea Court of Appeal.

Erik Silven Moller, acting assistant judge, commented on the verdict:

“Although the protest caused significant inconvenience to many, the Court of Appeal concluded that it did not involve such a serious disturbance as to qualify as the severe crime of sabotage.”

It was noted that during the protest, two ambulances were stuck in the kilometre-long traffic jam — one of them carrying a „Priority 1” emergency case, with a patient whose condition was deemed life-threatening.

Ronny Bergqvist, a paramedic who was in that ambulance, told Samnytt that the climate radicals knowingly endangered others’ safety. He explained that after the court hearing, some of the activists approached him and said he needed to understand that what they were doing was an environmental issue — even if it was life-threatening.

“They are putting people in danger — deliberately — and they think their cause is more important than others,”

the paramedic added.

They Don’t Care About Risk or Punishment

In early April, Pontus Andersson Garpvall, a representative of the Swedish Social Democratic Party, initiated a parliamentary interpellation with Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer titled “The Climate Activists’ Threats Against Swedish Infrastructure.” Speaking to Samnytt, Garpvall said it is becoming evident that climate activists do not care what punishment they receive.

“These are people who are regarded as heroes within their movement. They don’t care about the consequences,” he said.

He added that if those who repeatedly commit such acts continue to be acquitted and go on to commit the same offenses again, the most active individuals should be given prison sentences. He emphasized that such actions pose a danger to society. “We cannot wait until something really bad happens,” he said, advocating for proper legislation to stop these types of actions.

Life-Threatening Protest Ends in Tragedy

As previously reported by V4NA, in Germany, an action by the climate group Letzte Generation (Last Generation) ended in tragedy.

In November 2022, a cyclist in Berlin was eventually declared brain-dead from injuries sustained after colliding with a cement truck. The person’s injuries could have been mitigated if the ambulance had not been delayed by activists blocking the road.

A Berlin fire department spokesperson confirmed that ambulances were delayed reaching the site of the accident due to climate protesters blocking the A100 highway.

After authorities announced that the woman had suffered brain death, Letzte Generation issued a statement denying responsibility and accusing those blaming them of hate speech. They also announced they would continue their protests.

Despite the significant risks, some still defend these radical actions. Christian Blaul, one of the most well-known protesters from Letzte Generation, claimed that the potential delay of ambulances is minimal compared to the threat facing the planet.

“I always mentally prepare myself — at least subconsciously — that someone might die in a traffic jam. But we have to take that risk,”

the climate activist said in Benedict Bartsch’s documentary film. He continued: “The question is: What’s better? Not protesting and accepting the fossil fuel industry, or trying something that could transform society and slow the climate catastrophe?”

In 2023, the Munich regional court officially ruled that the radical Letzte Generation is a criminal organisation.