Greta Thunberg politely shuts down heckler during during speech in US: ‘Maybe you can do it later’

Climate activist allows person in crowd speak before calmly delivering response

Greta Thunberg politely dealt with a heckler after being interrupted during speech in the US.

The activist was giving a speech at a climate change rally in North Carolina when someone started shouting over the crowd’s cheers.

The woman in the crowd could be heard saying, in what seemed to be the teenager's native language of Swedish: "Greta, I came here today to get your attention.

"I must speak to you. It's very, very important"

Footage of the moment shows the teenager pausing her address and allowing the heckler to finish speaking.

“I think if you want to speak with me personally, maybe you can do it later,” Ms Thunberg then tells the woman in the crowd.

The 16-year-old's response prompted cheers from members of the crowd, before the activist eventually restarted her speech over the calls of support.

“It is young people who are the future, but there is not enough time for us to grow up and become the ones in charge,” Ms Thunberg said.

“We need to tackle the climate and ecological emergency right now.”

In August, Ms Thunberg set sail on a two-week journey across the Atlantic in a high-tech yacht to avoid flying to the US.

She was travelling to speak at the United Nations climate summit in New York, where she told world leaders including Donald Trump: “You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words.”

The climate activist, who shot to fame after leading school strikes for climate action last year, has been travelling through the US and Canada giving speeches and taking part in marches.

In San Francisco, a huge eight-storey mural of the teenager recently appeared.