According to the local television in this capital, among the protesters taken away by authorities outside the energy ministry, was 20-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who was carrying a flag of the indigenous Sami people.

Dozens of activists, including local community members, had been demonstrating for days against wind turbines built on land used by the minority group in the central Fosen region.

Despite a 2021 ruling by Norway’s Supreme Court that found that the wind farms violated indigenous rights under international law, the turbines still remain active.

Neither the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries nor the Ministry of Climate and Environment have commented on the matter, according to local broadcaster NRK.

However, Oil and Energy Minister Terje Aasland said the government’s policy on wind farms was in line with the court decision that stopped short of dismantling the turbines and indicated that a new ruling would be required to issue such an order.

Aasland on Wednesday canceled a visit to the UK over the protests and opted to reprioritize his schedule for dealing with the demonstrations, according to a ministry dispatch.

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