The protest was organized by Fossil Free London.
Swedish activist Greta Thunberg has been charged with breaching the peace after a climate protest in central London. DailyExpertNews reported. The 20-year-old was one of 26 people charged after protesters gathered outside the luxury InterContinental Hotel during the Energy Intelligence Forum. The protesters chanted “oil money out” and tried to block access to the hotel on Tuesday.
According to the Metropolitan Police, Ms Thunberg is accused of breaching a Section 14 order issued by police outside the InterContinental Hotel on Park Lane, where oil executives met on Tuesday.
“The demonstrators were asked to move from the road to the sidewalk so that they could continue their demonstration without violating the conditions,” a statement from the Metropolitan Police said.
Video footage of the incident showed Ms Thunberg, wearing a badge with the slogan ‘Oily Money Out’, standing calmly as two police officers spoke to her. Someone was seen holding her arm.
Ms Thunberg said at the rally: “Behind these closed doors at the Oil and Money Conference, spineless politicians are making deals and compromises with lobbyists from the destructive industries – the fossil fuel industry. People around the world are suffering and dying from the consequences of the climate crisis caused by these industries, which we have allowed our politicians to meet and to which we have privileged access.”
🚨NEW: Greta Thunberg has just been detained during a protest against a Big Oil conference in London.
This was her strong message to the fossil fuel industry before she was arrested.@fossielvrijLDN#OilyMoneyOutpic.twitter.com/wZAfvAvE7e
— Greenpeace UK (@GreenpeaceUK) October 17, 2023
Ms Thunberg was arrested and taken to a police station before being released overnight, police said. She has been released on bail and her trial will take place on November 15. The other protesters facing charges were also granted bail.
Greta Thunberg, who became the face of young climate activists worldwide after protesting weekly in front of the Swedish parliament in 2018, has been arrested by police or removed from protests in Sweden, Norway and Germany this year.