Greta Thunberg acquitted after protest trial in London

Climate activist Greta Thunberg was cleared of a public order offence over a protest outside an oil and gas conference in October last year, after a judge in a London court ruled she had no case to answer.

Ms Thunberg, who became a prominent campaigner worldwide after staging weekly protests in front of the Swedish parliament in 2018, was acquitted at Westminster Magistrates’ Court of a single charge under the Public Order Act.

The 21-year-old was one of dozens of people arrested outside a London hotel hosting oil and gas industry leaders attending the Energy Intelligence Forum last October.

She and four others, aged between 19 and 59, were accused of failing to comply with an order by police to move their protest to a designated area near the conference.

Ms Thunberg pleaded not guilty.

But Judge John Law ruled that the condition placed on the protest was unlawful because police could have imposed lesser restrictions and because the conditions were not clear.

Speaking last night after court proceedings, Ms Thunberg defended climate activists facing prosecution, saying “we must remember who the real enemy is. what are we defending, who are our laws meant to protect.”

“Climate, environmental and human rights activists all over the world are being prosecuted, sometimes convicted, and given… penalties for acting in line with science.

“History’s judgement against those who deliberately destroy and sacrifice… resources at the expense of humanity, at the expense of all those who are suffering the consequences of the environmental and climate crisis… and at the expense of future generations, your own children and grandchildren will not be gentle.”