Many think 16-year-old climate change activist Greta Thunberg is inspirational, but financial heavyweight Arron Banks is facing a backlash after making 'joking' about her on social media, reports The Mirror.
Leave.EU co-founder and former UKIP member Banks responded to a post by Green Party leader Caroline Lucas about Greta's voyage across the Atlantic on a racing yacht. He commented: "Freak yachting accidents do happen in August ..."
His comment sparked outrage from social media users, and he defended the comment, saying it was a ‘joke’
Actress Amanda Abbington was among those to jump to the activist’s defense. she tweeted: "You're wishing a potentially fatal accident onto a sixteen year old girl, why..?"
She had earlier written: "If you are a grown up, fully-fledged adult and you are mocking this young girl for trying to save the planet then I genuinely feel sorry for you."
'Ludicrous tweeter mob'
One Twitter user responded to Mr Banks' post by saying: "You know she's 16, right?" while another described his comment as "despicable".
Mr Banks defended his post and, in response to another tweet which highlighted the fact Greta was a child, he said: "Quite and one being used. Obviously I don't hope she encounters a freak yachting accident! I just enjoy watching the ludicrous tweeter mob following the next outrage ..."
He also replied to someone accusing him of showing "his true colours", saying: "It was a joke .. you lefties have no sense of humour ..."
Greta is undertaking a two-week voyage across the Atlantic on a carbon-neutral racing yacht, the Malizia II, it order to attend high-profile climate events without using modes of transport which emit high levels of greenhouse gas emissions such as planes or cruise ships.
The Swedish teenager has inspired a global protest movement by other youngsters demanding urgent action on climate change through her influential "school strikes".
