I sprayed down Neova’s office in Jyväskylä, Finland
Two days ago I participated in a peaceful action in the city of Jyväskylä, Finland, where I, together with other activists through the network “Restore Wetlands”, sprayed the entrance to the company “Neova Oy”’s office with red paint.
I have now slept in a regular bed, after spending about 20 hours in a finnish police cell. It is not nice to be locked up without communication or knowing when you will be free, but it is a consequence I have chosen to accept in order to act on the climate atrocity. Neova’s fossil peat mining is harmful to all of humanity, but also to specific natural areas and local communities in Sweden, including Grimsås, this I have seen that with my own eyes.
You who are reading this blog are probably a close person to me. I just want you to know that I am proud of myself. It has taken a lot to prepare and carry out this action. I realize that I have developed as a leader over the past year, it is something I have worked on, and I am happy to see it.
So - I will recover now. I have done my part for the moment. What happens next is not in my hands. Do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions or need to talk about all this. I do not think we should be alone.
Here is the press release that Restore Wetlands sent out.. The action was reported by various news agencies in Finland: news search, yle.fi. Also see this recording where I can be seen clearly and explain myself a little quickly.
I did this because the earth is terminally ill. Those with power and wealth are destroying the conditions for humanity to flourish. I cannot stand by and just watch. At the same time, I am aware that I do not have the power to stop this.
It may feel like you can’t change anything, because no one else cares. But hold on, don’t give up hope for humanity and your fellow human beings! Because research shows that no one wants it that way. A living world is not at all the polarized issue you might think, on the contrary: 89% of the entire world’s population want their leaders to do more to counteract climate change, according to a globally representative study in which almost 130,000 individuals were interviewed. It’s nine out of ten in your office, in your class, in your family. Aftonbladet: We are 89 percent – you are wise to take us seriously. A psychological phenomenon called “pluralistic ignorance” means that a majority in a group wants a change, but the members of the majority underestimate how many others want the same thing, they are all unaware of each other, and therefore do not dare to come forward. We are now experiencing this with the climate.
Why peaceful but disruptive actions? You can read about that here. In short, historical examples such as the fight against slavery, the civil rights movement, and the suffragette movement have been seen as a necessary part of bringing about social change. It takes money to carry out safe, well-thought-out, and effective actions, as well as to drive social change in the long term and strategically, money that we activists do not have. You can donate to Restore Wetlands at [the following link](https://aterstallvatmarker.se/donera). You can also support me personally if you wish here or by talking to me - I have resigned from my job to work full-time as a non-profit against climate disaster. People also contribute in countless other ways that have nothing to do with money - they offer conversation support, IT help, places to sleep, invite us activists to speak at conferences, publicly express their support in the public debate and on social media, cook, and in so many other ways.
Other reading:
