Climate and pro-Palestinian activists, including Greta Thunberg, on Friday temporarily blocked access to Norway's central bank and occupied the headquarters of the country's largest bank in protest at their Israeli and fossil fuel investments.

The actions in Oslo were part of a civil disobedience campaign intended to last around 10 days, with the aim of influencing parliamentary elections scheduled for September 8.

Members of environmental group Extinction Rebellion and a pro-Palestinian group blocked access to the central bank, which also oversees country's massive sovereign wealth fund.

In a statement, they accused the central bank of keeping investments, through the sovereign fund, in companies "that support the illegal occupation and genocide in Palestine."

Another group of activists stormed and occupied the lobby of DNB bank, demanding that it stop funding the development of fossil fuels.

"DNB is the Nordic bank that invests the most money in oil and gas, nearly three times more than the runner-up," activist Lea Wiggen said in the statement.

"When we demand an exit from fossil fuels, this also applies to companies investing in the collapse of our society," she added.

Norway, western Europe's biggest oil and gas producer, is regularly criticised for its huge fossil fuel output, but its main political parties have no plans to end production.

By mid-morning, an Oslo police official told AFP that most of the activists had been removed.

As part of their campaign, Extinction Rebellion activists have already blocked Norway's largest oil refinery in Mongstad -- located on the country's west coast -- as well as Oslo's main avenue and a DNB branch.

Greta Thunberg, activists block Norway oil refinery
Oslo (AFP) Aug 18, 2025 -

Some 200 climate activists including Greta Thunberg of Sweden blocked Norway's largest oil refinery on Monday in a protest demanding an end to the country's oil industry, organisers and police said.

Activists from Extinction Rebellion sat on the road, blocking the entrance to the Mongstad refinery in Bergen on Norway's southwestern coast, while kayaks and sailboats obstructed the port's entrance.

"We are here because it's crystal clear that there is no future in oil. Fossil fuels lead to death and destruction," Thunberg said in a statement, adding that oil producers like Norway "have blood on their hands".

The burning of fossil fuels releases planet-heating carbon emissions.

Police said they were at the scene monitoring the situation from around 9:00 am (0700 GMT).

The activists said they plan to continue with a string of protests in Norway throughout the week.

The Mongstad refinery is owned by Norwegian oil giant Equinor, which is majority-owned by the Norwegian state.

The activists demanded that Norwegian politicians present "a plan to phase out oil and gas".

Norway, western Europe's biggest oil and gas producer, is regularly criticised for its oil and gas production.

Oslo insists its industry provides jobs and develops know-how, and stresses the importance of guaranteeing stable energy deliveries to Europe.

Equinor has said it intends to keep its oil production in the country stable at 1.2 million barrels per day until 2035, and expects to produce 40 billion cubic metres (52 billion cubic yards) of gas a year by 2035.

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