Greta Thunberg is acquitted in trial in London – 02/02/2024 – Environment

Climate activist Greta Thunberg was acquitted this Friday (2) of public disorder charges for a protest held outside an oil and gas conference last year in London. The English court decided that it is not appropriate for her to respond for the episode.

Greta, who became a well-known activist around the world after holding weekly protests outside the Swedish parliament since 2018, was acquitted at Westminster Magistrates’ Court of the charge under the Public Order Act.

The 21-year-old Swede was one of dozens of people arrested, in October 2023, in front of a hotel in London, where the Energy Intelligence Forum brought together leaders from the oil and gas industry.

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

Judge John Law, however, ruled that this condition imposed on the protest was unlawful, because the police could have made lesser restrictions on the group and because the conditions were not clear.

Furthermore, he understood that Greta did not have “a reasonable time to comply” with the order given by the police officers to move.

“The prosecution’s evidence is insufficient for any reasonable court to adequately convict [os réus]”, said Law, when acquitting the five activists, to applause and celebrations from the gallery packed with the public who came to watch the session.

Addressing the five defendants, he added: “You are all presumed innocent of this charge.” Thunberg and her four other activists hugged each other before leaving the courtroom.

The trial lasted two days. On Thursday (1st), when refuting the accusations, Greta said that it is necessary to identify the “real enemy” of the environment.

“Environmental activists are prosecuted all over the world for acting according to their conscience. We have to remember who the real enemy is,” he said as he left Westminster Magistrates’ Court, in the center of the British capital.

In total, 26 people were detained at the time and are being prosecuted for the same reason.

The expected punishment is a fine of up to 2,500 pounds (R$15,700 at the current exchange rate).

“Behind these closed doors (…), unscrupulous politicians make deals with lobbyists for the destructive fossil fuel sector,” Greta said on October 17, before being detained and taken away in a police van.

She was later released on bail and, the following day, participated in another protest in front of the same hotel.

After these demonstrations, the British government granted several new licenses for oil and gas exploration, citing the need to strengthen the country’s energy independence — one of Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s priorities.

The independent body responsible for advising the British government on its climate strategy expressed, on Monday (29), concern that the country was transmitting “contradictory messages” that destabilized its international influence on the issue.

Several of London’s measures caused outrage among environmental organizations, which filed legal appeals and intensified their actions, such as the Just Stop Oil movement, whose activists frequently organize peaceful marches in the British capital. In response, the government tightened legislation to prevent further acts.