Greta Thunberg accidentally shared a message showing she was getting told what to write on Twitter about the ongoing violent farmers’ revolt in India — sparking a police investigation and a political firestorm, according to reports.
The 18-year-old left-wing eco-activist shared — and then quickly deleted — a message that detailed a list of “suggested posts” about the ongoing protests, according to the posts that were saved by Breaking 911.
The list gave a series of tips on what to post, asking her to also repost and tag other celebrities tweeting about it, including pop star Rihanna.
As well as the Twitter storm, the “toolkit” she shared also suggested highlighting planned demonstrations at Indian embassies.
The campaign material and social media template was created by Canada’s Poetic Justice Foundation, which claims to be a grassroots group creating “events to provoke, challenge and disrupt systemic inequities and biases,” Times Now said. The group’s website confirms it is “most actively involved in the #FarmersProtest.”
The group then shared to Facebook a series of screenshots of the posts it appears to have gotten celebrities to share.
After deleting the list, Thunberg then shared a supposedly newer “toolkit” and a message saying, “We stand in solidarity with the #FarmersProtest in India.”
India’s foreign ministry issued a rare statement accusing “foreign individuals” and celebrities of “sensationalism” and “trying to enforce their agenda.”
Delhi police on Thursday confirmed that it had launched “a criminal case against the creators of the ‘Toolkit document'” that Thunberg shared.
“The call was to wage economic, social, cultural and regional war against India,” police said of the plot supposedly taken up by the celebs.
The force filed a First Information Report (FIR) — a preliminary formal investigation — with a specialist cyber-crimes squad leading the investigation, according to NDTV.
Numerous Indian newspapers and TV stations initially reported that a FIR had also been filed against Thunberg herself. However, Delhi Special Commissioner of Police Praveer Ranjan later clarified that nobody had been identified and that the probe was looking into those behind the toolkit, Indian news agency ANI said.
The investigation is focusing on the spreading of disaffection against the government, promoting hatred and criminal conspiracy, the agency said.
One Indian minister, VK Singh, said that Thunberg’s deleted tweet “revealed the real designs of a conspiracy at an international level against India.”
“Instructions were laid out clearly as to the ‘how’, ‘when’ and ‘what,'” Singh wrote.
“Conspiracies at this scale often get exposed and ultimately it took the hasty tweet of Greta, who with other international celebrities suddenly turned sensitive towards farmer issues.”
A series of high-profile Indian celebrities also joined the attack on celebrities overseas getting involved in the farmers’ revolt that has gripped India for more than two months.
Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut even called the protesting farmers “terrorists” and Rihanna a “fool” for her widely shared tweet that asked her 100 million Twitter followers, “Why aren’t we talking about this?!”
Thunberg remained defiant Thursday. “I still #StandWithFarmers and support their peaceful protest,” she tweeted Thursday morning.
“No amount of hate, threats or violations of human rights will ever change that.”
Tens of thousands of farmers have been hunkering down at the Indian capital’s fringes to protest new agricultural laws they say will leave them poorer and at the mercy of corporations.
In their most violent clash on Jan. 26 — India’s Republic Day — hundreds of police officers were injured and a protester died. Scores of farmers were also injured but officials have not given their numbers.
With Post wires