The Let’s Dance final was hijacked by climate activists. Otis Geijer, 18, who held the banner, is now talking about why he did it.
– Legal demonstrations do not spread and have an effect, he says in Efter fem.
A week ago, the organization “Restore Wetlands” carried out an attention-grabbing action during the live broadcast of the Let’s Dance final. Two activists took to the dance floor and interrupted skier Charlotte Kalla’s performance. One of the activists poured paint over the stage floor while the other held up a banner to the cameras. And the action became more dramatic than expected, when one of the activists, Otis Geijer, was hit in the head by a camera and fell to the ground. Shortly afterwards, both he and his activist colleague were abducted by guards.
– I think it feels absurd that the main focus has been on this camera incident rather than on the climate disaster we are actually in now and the actual message we want to convey. But at the same time it has led to enormous spread, says Otis Geijer in Efter fem.
Civil disobedience – an effective strategy
Climate activists in Sweden and around the world work in different ways to drive change and draw attention to climate issues. The global movement Fridays for futures international school strikes is an example. But recent actions have gone more in the direction of civil disobedience, where climate activists have sabotaged several world-renowned works of art and stuck to roads. And while one may criticize the actions, it is true that civil disobedience has proven to be an effective strategy for attracting attention.
– The climate movement has tried for decades with peaceful and legal demonstrations, name collections, etc., but they do not get spread and effect and it is not reported by the media to the same degree as these actions we are doing, says Otis Geijer.
Criticism and penalties
Climate activist actions of this type have been widely criticized and penalties for civil disobedience have been increased by the government. Actions that were previously classified as disobedience to law and order are now seen as sabotage and can result in at least six months in prison. Regarding the action during Let’s Dance, Otis Geijer believes that the action was peaceful, and that it was not meant to scare anyone or cause discomfort to the spectators on site. And when asked what feelings one might have caused Charlotte Kalla, who was interrupted during her performance, and who is also heavily pregnant, Geijer answers:
– We are doing this for Charlotte Kalla’s unborn children, so that her children will have a future, so that the entire young generation will have a future. And what we are doing is completely justified and proportionate to the disaster we are facing and the inability of those in power to act when the situation is at its worst.