Greta's Norway Standoff: Blockading Big Oil and Banks for Climate Action

Greta Thurnberg BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.

Greta Thunberg has been at the center of major climate activism again this week, with her activities drawing international headlines and intensifying the public conversation around fossil fuels and political responsibility. It all kicked off on August 18th, when Greta, joined by artist Aurora and nearly 200 activists with Extinction Rebellion, staged a dramatic blockade at Equinor’s Mongstad oil refinery in Norway, the country’s biggest such facility according to both NRK and Arab News. Police monitored the calm but determined protest, which began early that morning and featured activists not only blocking vehicle entrances but also obstructing the port by kayak and sailboat. Thunberg used the world’s media to indict oil-producing countries, saying, “We are here because it’s crystal clear that there is no future in oil. Fossil fuels lead to death and destruction...oil producers like Norway have blood on their hands.”

Coverage was widespread across European outlets, and Instagram was awash with images of Greta and Aurora, the mood at the site serious yet peaceful, with most activists staying the course deep into the evening as documented by NRK and Extinction Rebellion’s own account. Celebrity support for the demonstration was further amplified by Aurora’s presence, and the whole affair was accompanied by singing and speeches that caught fire on social media.

As if that wasn’t enough, Greta quickly pivoted from the refinery protest to Oslo on August 21st, where she spearheaded another mass action—this time blocking the Norwegian capital’s main avenue and its flagship DNB bank branch. The message: Norway must phase out its lucrative oil and gas industry. The protest—organized jointly by Extinction Rebellion and Reclaim the Future—saw over 100 activists calling out the financial sector’s complicity in climate destruction, demanding a radical energy transition, per The Daily Star.

Her packed schedule is set to continue with more headline-making direct action, as ara.cat reports Greta will join dozens of international activists on August 31st to sail from Barcelona to Gaza in a bid to break the blockade and highlight humanitarian issues.

Across Instagram, Greta’s profile continues to surge, now at over fifteen million followers with deep engagement, as tracked by HypeAuditor. Her commentary and protest snaps from Norway have been widely shared by both supporters and detractors, and conversation about her activism continues to draw A-list attention. In recent days, rumors resurfaced online about her relationship with Leonardo DiCaprio, but IMDb and FandomWire confirm their friendship remains rooted in mutual respect, with any relationship speculation being unfounded gossip.

While her recent cancellation of an Edinburgh Book Festival appearance over the event’s sponsorship by an investment firm got some attention earlier in August, it has quickly been overshadowed by her direct actions in Norway. There are some unconfirmed online reports circulating about detentions or rough treatment at the hands of authorities, but so far, all major outlets confirm the protests have remained largely peaceful and without arrests.

With her global platform and relentless activism, Greta Thunberg continues to shape the climate debate and defy the usual summer news lull, ensuring the fight to phase out fossil fuels is front-page news across Europe.

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