Greta Thunberg, the 22-year-old Swedish climate activist, was detained in Israel in early October after joining a flotilla of over 40 vessels carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, defying Israel’s long-standing naval blockade.
The Israeli Navy intercepted the ships, taking Thunberg, Mandla Mandela (Nelson Mandela’s grandson), and several European politicians into custody.
She lives in a shared house, and on her first night back, she slept through the entire night for the first time in who knows how long. But on the second night, she only managed about half an hour of sleep after a nightmare about bombed boats woke her up. It’s clear that she is quite shaken.
“My brain doesn’t work like it usually does,” she told Aftonbladet.
”Confined in metal cages”
In the interview, Thunberg described being held in sweltering conditions and witnessing other detainees restrained on the ground.
According to Greta, she was kicked by guards while others were beaten to the ground.
“They roughly shoved me into a corner, facing the wall. ‘A special place for a special lady,’ they said.
According to Greta, the guards had picked up Swedish insults and repeatedly called her a “whore.”
Thunberg described her time in detention as terrifying and surreal. Detainees were confined in metal cages, forced to stand overnight, and threatened with gas. She added that guards regularly disrupted sleep by shaking cell bars and shining flashlights.
