Thunberg's "They still do that?" reaction to Fridays for Future clip sparks online row
A documentary clip shows Greta Thunberg laughing on being told of a Fridays for Future protest in Berlin. Right-leaning outlets use it to argue that climate activism has been displaced by other causes; some online defenders say Thunberg was mocking the protest's style.
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The story, neutrally told
Right · 2A clip from the newly released documentary 'On Tanks into the Climate Crisis – How Activism is Criminalised' shows Greta Thunberg laughing when told that a Fridays for Future demonstration was taking place in Berlin. Daily MailR “in a newly released documentary titled 'On Tanks into the Climate Crisis – How Activism is Criminalised', the now 23-year-old appeared shocked when told that a Fridays for Future demonstration was taking place in Berlin.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Hot AirR “Greta Thunberg is told about the latest Fridays for Future demo happening in Berlin – the climate protest she helped found. She bursts out in laughter.” Read at Hot Air ↗ Right · 1In the clip Thunberg asks 'Is it?', then 'Really? They still do that?', before an activist friend joins the laughter and Thunberg turns to the camera and shouts 'Cut!'. Daily MailR “'Is it?' she asked, looking visibly surprised, before bursting into loud laughter. 'Really? They still do that?' she shrieked.”“An activist friend sitting beside her joined in the laughter, before Thunberg turned towards the camera and shouted: 'Cut!'” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Right · 1Fridays for Future was launched by Thunberg in 2018, at age 15, after they began skipping school on Fridays to demand action on climate change, and grew from Sweden into a global student movement. Daily MailR “Fridays for Future was launched by Thunberg in 2018, when she was just 15, after she began skipping school on Fridays to demand action on climate change.”“What began in Sweden quickly snowballed into a global movement, inspiring millions of students to walk out of classrooms and take to the streets in rallies around the world.” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Right · 1The Daily Mail says Thunberg's activism has increasingly shifted towards the pro-Palestinian cause, citing an arrest in London at a protest backing jailed Palestine Action prisoners, two detentions by Israeli forces on Gaza-bound ships, and a statement backing Macklemore after he was dropped from Ed Sheeran's tour. Daily MailR “In recent years, however, her activism has increasingly shifted towards vocal support for the pro-Palestinian cause.”“Thunberg's detention was the second such incident, after she was also taken by Israeli forces while onboard a separate ship headed for the Palestinian state last June.”“Most recently, she spoke in support of rapper Macklemore after he was dropped from Ed Sheeran's tour for pro-Palestine statements made at one of his concerts.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Right · 1The Daily Mail reports that the clip drew backlash on X, with commenters saying 'Climate was just the warm-up. Hating Israel is the real job' and calling Fridays for Future 'cult-like'. Daily MailR “One person on X commented: 'Climate was just the warm-up. Hating Israel is the real job.'”“'Fridays for Future was a cult-like movement from the start, whose leaders secretly mocked the protesters back then and now openly mock them on camera,' said a third.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Right · 1Others defended Thunberg, arguing the laughter was aimed at the protest's lack of radicalism, not at climate protection; one X user wrote that Thunberg 'finds the FFF protest too nice, too conformist and too middle-class'. Daily MailR “'The point is that she finds the FFF protest too nice, too conformist and too middle-class. She laughs at its lack of radicalism.” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Right · 1Thunberg arrived at the COP31 UN climate talks in Antalya, Turkey, on Tuesday, the first such appearance since Glasgow in 2021, where they criticised host countries and lobbyists and said climate change is 'threatening everything'. Daily MailR “Thunberg arrived at UN climate talks on Tuesday, in her first appearance since the 2021 talks in Glasgow”“Climate change is 'threatening everything,' Thunberg said, warning that 'everything and everyone we love is at stake.'” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Right · 1In a Hot Air opinion column, David Strom reads the clip as showing that the left has 'moved on' from climate change, which Strom says was never the real aim of what the column calls the 'Omnicause', a coalition seeking power and control of resources. Hot AirR “Are you really that credulous to believe that anybody at the forefront of the "climate" movement cared about CLIMATE? It was always about the Omnicause, and the Omnicause is about capturing power to control the distribution of resources.” Read at Hot Air ↗ Right · 1The column links this shift to the post-7 October pro-Palestinian movement and argues that a 'Red/Green alliance' is ascendant over 'technocrats' such as Ursula von der Leyen and Friedrich Merz; these are the columnist's opinions, not reported findings. Hot AirR “And have been since October 7, when the Omnicause inserted itself into a new costume, complete with keffiyeh and attacks on Jews.”“You can see the Andy Burnhams, the Ursula von der Leyens, the Friedrich Merzes struggling to stay in power as their countries begin to collapse.” Read at Hot Air ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right2 outlets
- Framing
- Both right-leaning outlets treat the clip as evidence that Thunberg and the wider left have drifted from climate to other causes. Hot Air gives a polemical opinion column; the Daily Mail gives a news write-up built around Thunberg's Gaza activism.
- Emphasis
- Hot Air stresses an alleged 'Omnicause' of ideologies seeking power. The Daily Mail stresses Thunberg's Palestine-related arrests, detentions and statements, and critical social media reactions.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Hot Air does not mention the documentary's title or context, the defenders' reading, or Thunberg's recent climate remarks at COP31. The Daily Mail carries a defence of Thunberg, but does not include any response from Thunberg or Fridays for Future to the backlash.
- Charged language
- “Omnicause”“climatetards”“Red/Green alliance”“Great Reset”“technocrats”
- For example
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“Jokes on you climatetards. Left has moved on.” — Hot Air
“Greta Thunberg laughs at protesters still participating in Fridays For Future - the climate movement she started before focusing on Gaza” — Daily Mail
What every side reports
- Thunberg was filmed in a documentary reacting with laughter to news of a Fridays for Future protest in Berlin and saying 'They still do that?'
- Thunberg founded or helped found Fridays for Future, the school climate strike movement.
Where accounts differ
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What Thunberg's laughter means
- Right
- Hot Air reads it as proof that the left has abandoned climate change for other causes and that climate was a 'propaganda campaign'. The Daily Mail says Thunberg 'appeared' to mock the protesters, reports critics calling it hypocrisy, and also reports defenders who say the target was the protest's lack of radicalism, not climate action.
Greta Thunberg person
The coverage shows no direct comment from Thunberg on the clip. The Daily Mail quotes Thunberg at COP31 saying climate change is 'threatening everything' and criticising host countries and lobbyists.
“Climate change is 'threatening everything,' Thunberg said, warning that 'everything and everyone we love is at stake.'” — Daily Mail
Fridays for Future organisation
Fridays for Future is described as the student climate movement Thunberg began in 2018, with a demonstration in Berlin at the time of the filming. No statement from the movement appears in the coverage.
“Fridays for Future was launched by Thunberg in 2018, when she was just 15” — Daily Mail
Climate change topic
Hot Air presents climate change as a cause the left has dropped; the Daily Mail reports ongoing climate talks (COP31) and Thunberg's warnings that it threatens everything.
“She was the technocrats' cat's paw, but now she is laughing at them because climate is so passe.” — Hot Air
“The COP31 conference is being held in the Turkish resort city of Antalya” — Daily Mail
North America1 outlet
Hot Air frames the clip as proof of an ideological conspiracy, drawing on US culture-war themes and European political leaders.
“The Democrat Party has been infected by socialism, and it's spreading FAST.” — Hot Air
Hot Air
UK and Ireland1 outlet
The Daily Mail treats it as a celebrity-activist controversy, with background on Thunberg's London arrest and online backlash.
“Following her recent comments appearing to mock climate protesters, the Swede has faced strong backlash online.” — Daily Mail
Daily Mail
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right2 articles
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Hot AirR · · Opinion
'They Still Do That?!' The Left Has Moved on From Climate Change
Alarmist Opinion column by David Strom that uses the clip to argue the climate movement was a front for a power-seeking 'Omnicause' that has moved on.
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Mixed News write-up that presents the clip as Thunberg apparently mocking climate protesters after pivoting to Gaza, while including a defender's reading and Thunberg's COP31 remarks.
- 12 Nov 13:00 First Hot AirR 'They Still Do That?!' The Left Has Moved on From Climate Change Opinion
- 12 Nov 15:42 +2h 43m Daily MailR Greta Thunberg laughs at protesters still participating in Fridays For Future - the climate movement she started before focusing on Gaza: 'They're still doing that?!'
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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