After reports of the potential kidnapping surfaced, a shocking trend emerged.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=”credit-name” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Black Han Sans|||on|||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ header_4_font=”|||on|||||” header_4_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]
Words by Georgia Aspinall<\/strong><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/06\/GettyImages-2188574195.jpg” alt=”Greta Thunberg” title_text=”Greta Thunberg Speaks At Pro-Palestine Event” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″] Activists on board the aid boat to Gaza, including Greta Thunberg and Game of Thrones star Liam Cunningham, will be deported today after being diverted by Israeli forces. The ship was on course to deliver urgent supplies to Gaza with Israel warning ahead of the voyage that they would take \u2018whatever measures are necessary\u2019 to prevent it reaching its destination.<\/p>\n This morning, after three days at sail, Thunberg tweeted a video saying, \u2018If you see this video we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces or forces that support Israel.\u2019 Immediately, \u2018Has Greta Thunberg been kidnapped?\u2019 began to trend on Google, with breakout search for whether or not she\u2019d been arrested or detained. <\/p>\n Now, Israel\u2019s foreign ministry says the ship carrying 12 activists is being diverted to an Israeli port where \u2018arrangements will be made for their return to their respective home countries.\u2019<\/p>\n Amnesty International have released a statement in response, saying that Israel has shown a \u2018chilling contempt\u2019 for international law by blocking aid getting into Gaza. \u2018[It has] an international obligation to ensure safe access to food and essential supplies for Gaza’s civilians,\u2019 Secretary General Agnes Callamard says. \u2018Activists would not have had to risk their lives if Israel\u2019s allies had turned their words into forceful action to allow aid into Gaza.\u2019<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/06\/GettyImages-2217490763.jpg” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” alt=”Greta Thunberg” title_text=”CATANIA, ITALY – JUNE 01: The humanitarian organization Freedom Flotilla Coalition is in Catania from where the ship Madleen will depart on its mission to break the siege on Gaza. The Madleen a sailboat, will stop in Catania between May 30 and next June 1, in the port of San Giovanni Li Cuti, and then set sail with the goal of reaching the Palestinian coast. Greta Thunberg is also awaited in Catania for the departure of the Freedom Flottilla ship to denounce the Israeli blockade and provide emergency aid to the civilian population in Catania, Italy on June 01, 2025. (Photo by Salvatore Allegra\/Anadolu via Getty Images)” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_code][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″] The online reaction to the news has also been concerning. Namely, the jokes made Thunberg\u2019s expense when reports first emerged that she could have been kidnapped. According to Google Trends, \u2018Greta Thunberg meme\u2019 is a breakout search term for the 22-year-old, with a picture of her being handed a sandwich by Israeli forces quickly going viral in the wake of the ship being intercepted.<\/p>\n \u2018I always let my hostages make selfie videos and post them on the internet too,\u2019 one person responded to her video. \u2018She caved at the first free snack,\u2019 another said. \u2018So brave! So courageous! Greta Thunberg and the Madleen Freedom Flotilla bravely shat their pants and surrendered today,\u2019 a third added.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″] GB News host Andrew Pierce branded Thunberg \u2018appalling\u2019, saying \u2018She’s so appalling, isn’t she?… I loved the response to the Israeli military, that it is a boat full of virtue signalling, celebrities taking selfies.\u2019 In reporting the news of Thunberg\u2019s potential kidnap this morning, The Sun went with the headline \u2018Learn A Lesson: Greta to be made to watch Oct 7 atrocity vid after Israel stop boat stunt\u2019.<\/p>\n None of the same vitriol shared above was said for the other 11 activists on board the ship, Cunningham for example – who has equally been used to publicise the voyage – is not named in any headlines about the ship being diverted apart from one straight news story by the Irish Star.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″] \u00a0Yes, there\u2019s a unique level of anger that\u2019s saved for Thunberg whenever she attempts to raise awareness of various humanitarian crises. Her age, gender, appearance and neurodivergence are consistently used as an insult against her by those who seek to invalidate her opinions or diminish her cause.<\/p>\n In 2019, aged just 16, she was forced to respond to a viral article about her by the Herald Sun\u2019s Andrew Bolt after he called Thunberg \u2018deeply disturbed\u2019 – referring to her Aspergers and autism diagnosis, as well as having OCD. \u2018I have never seen a girl so young with so many mental disorders treated by so many adults as a guru,\u2019 he wrote, calling her a \u2018strange girl\u2019. <\/p>\n \u2018I am indeed \u201cdeeply disturbed\u201d about the fact that these hate and conspiracy campaigns are allowed to go on and on and on just because we children communicate and act on the science,\u2019 Thunberg responded. \u2018Where are the adults?\u2019<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=”custom-quote” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_2_font=”Libre Bodoni|||on|||||” header_2_text_align=”center” header_2_text_color=”#333333″ header_2_font_size=”40px” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”] Now still she faces floods of abuse from every corner \u2013 targeted with fake photos, conspiracy theories and outright death threats. But what is it about the psyche of these, largely older male, trolls that feel so threatened by Thunberg? Clearly the fact she\u2019s a young, passionate, atypical woman is something they can\u2019t stand.<\/p>\n One Twitter user said it best. \u2018Gotta love all the 40yr olds whose only contribution to the world is paying their HOA fees on time losing their minds on a girl who takes action for what she believes, and *wow*, thinks civilians should have food and water. Brave people they sure are.\u2019<\/p>\n What comes of this haunting story is certainly nothing to joke about. Rather than jumping to insult her endeavour or diminish the bravery Thunberg\u2019s shown, should we not all be hoping for her safe onward journey \u2013 and the aid to get to Gaza? To see an effort of such courage turned into a joke, merely because some corners of the internet can\u2019t stand to see a young woman with strong opinions, when so many lives are at stake is horrendous. If there were ever a time to resist making a meme of a global crisis, it\u2019s now.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_code][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#111111″ divider_position=”center” divider_weight=”2px” module_class=”custom-divider” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text module_class=”credit-texts” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|||on|||||” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”] Photos: Getty<\/b><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When reports emerged she could’ve been kidnapped, a shocking response ensued.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":10674,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10668","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature"],"acf":[],"modified_by":"guestgrazia","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10668","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10668"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10668\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10677,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10668\/revisions\/10677"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10674"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10668"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10668"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10668"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\u00a0‘What is it about the psyche of these, largely older male, trolls that feel so threatened by thunberg?’<\/span><\/h2>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]