Climate activist one of six detained by police after students block university building in Danish capital

Danish police have arrested the environmental activist Greta Thunberg in Copenhagen at a protest against the war in Gaza, a spokesperson for the student group organising the demonstration has said.

Six people had been detained on Wednesday at the University of Copenhagen after 20 people blocked the entrance to a building and three entered, a police spokesperson said.

Police declined to confirm the identities of any of those arrested but a spokesperson for the Students Against the Occupation said Thunberg, 21, was one of those held.

A picture of Thunberg published by the news outlet Ekstra Bladet showed her wearing what the newspaper said were handcuffs and a black-and-white keffiyeh shawl draped over her shoulders.

Thunberg, meanwhile, shared images on Instagram of riot police entering a building where Students Against the Occupation was staging a protest.

“I can’t confirm the names of those arrested, but six people have been arrested in connection with the demonstration,” a Copenhagen police spokesperson said. “They are suspected of forcing their way into the building and blocking the entrance,” he added.

Students Against the Occupation said in a statement posted on Instagram that “while the situation in Palestine only gets worse, the University of Copenhagen continues cooperation with academic institutions in Israel”.

“We are occupying [the university’s] central administration with one demand: academic boycott now.”

Pro-Palestinian protesters have set up encampments at universities around the US and Europe since last spring to protest against Israel’s bombardment of Gaza and occupation of Palestinian territories.