Greta Thunberg: Judge throws out charge against climate activist over London oil protest

A judge has thrown out a public order charge against climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, saying police attempted to impose “unlawful” conditions during an environment protest.

The 21-year-old Swedish activist was detained and charged by police, along with a number of others, at a protest outside a major oil and gas summit in London last October. Fossil Free London organised the protest to disrupt the Energy Intelligence Forum, which was meeting at a luxury hotel near Hyde Park - where Shell CEO Wael Sawan was expected to give the keynote speech.

Miss Thunberg had earlier pleaded not guilty to breaching Section 14 of the Public Order Act, alongside two Fossil Free London protesters and two Greenpeace activists, and their two-day trial began this week. At Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday (2 February), District Judge John Law acquitted all of them, saying conditions imposed on protesters were “so unclear that it is unlawful” - which meant “anyone failing to comply were actually committing no offence”.

According to PA, the judge said the protest was “throughout peaceful, civilised and non-violent” and criticised evidence provided by the prosecution about the location of where the demonstrators should be moved to – saying the only helpful footage he received was “made by an abseiling protester”.

He added: “It is quite striking to me that there were no witness statements taken from anyone in the hotel, approximately 1,000 people, or from anyone trying to get in. There was no evidence of any vehicles being impeded, no evidence of any interference with emergency services, or any risk to life.”

In a statement sent to NationalWorld, her lawyer Raj Chada said: “This verdict shows the danger of clamping down on peaceful protest. Rather than prosecute climate defenders, the State would better use its time to deal with the climate crisis that threatens our very planet.”

Maja Darlington, a campaigner at Greenpeace UK, added: “Today’s verdict is a victory for the right to protest. It is ridiculous that more and more climate activists are finding themselves in court for peacefully exercising their right to protest, while fossil fuel giants like Shell are allowed to reap billions in profits from selling climate-wrecking fossil fuels.

“The prosecution of Greta and other peaceful protesters reflects a government that cares more about bolstering the profits of oil bosses than fighting for a livable future for all of us. Instead of cracking down on climate activists, the UK government should force the oil industry to stop drilling and start paying for the damage they are causing to our planet and everyone who lives on it.”