Greta Thunberg's friendship with Chris Kebbon: just allies in activism or a deeper connection?

IOL News

24-06-2025

Climate activists Greta Thunberg and Chris Kebbon side by side at a demonstration.
Image: Instagram
In the ever-evolving world of climate activism, friendships often spark curiosity, and this time, climate justice icon Greta Thunberg is at the centre of speculation regarding her relationship with photographer and videographer Chris Kebbon.
The pair, both 22, have been spotted together at various demonstrations, prompting discussions about whether they are allies in the fight for climate justice or if their bond runs deeper.
"The Daily Mail" has recently featured pictures of Kebbon welcoming Thunberg with a heartfelt hug at Stockholm Airport after her arrest and deportation by Israeli authorities, capturing a moment that many interpreted as both supportive and intimate.
Thunberg returned home untidy following her controversial Gaza mission to Gaza, where she attempted to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis.
Kebbon, known for his strong advocacy for social and climate justice through photography, has accompanied Thunberg on a number of occasions over the last 18 months.
An image shared widely on social media portrays him and Thunberg swimming in the clear waters off Catania, Sicily, before her ill-fated "Freedom Flotilla" mission.
This trip, which was intended to shine a light on the situation in Gaza, was interrupted when the Israeli Navy intercepted their vessel, the Barcarole, subsequently renamed Madleen for the trip.
Kebbon's striking photograph of Thunberg on the prow, draped in a Palestinian flag, has become emblematic of the mission's dramatic outcome.
The adventure took a serious turn when Thunberg, alongside 11 other activists, was arrested and, despite her vocal opposition, put on an El Al flight to Paris.
This ignited further backlash and scrutiny, particularly regarding her earlier environmental stance articulated through a strict "no-fly" policy aimed at mitigating damage to the planet.
Upon her release, Thunberg took to Instagram to galvanise her audience, urging them to elevate their voices in activism.
'If you - in everything that is currently going on in terms of escalating imperialism, genocides, climate- and ecological collapse - have a platform but continue to choose not to use it and take a stance, then you will not be forgiven,' she wrote, passionately imploring her followers to take action.
'You who have platforms have the immense privilege of setting the narrative; you have a huge responsibility of pushing the limits of what is considered 'mainstream.''
Thunberg's fiery rhetoric is a clarion call to all who have influence, reminding them not only of their potential to effect change but also of the moral obligation that accompanies such power.
As Thunberg and Kebbon continue to be spotted together, the question remains: Are they simply comrades united in urgent activism, or has a deeper bond developed under the shared pressures of their environmental battles?