A London court discharged Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg on Friday, of breaking public protest laws after she was arrested during the blockade of an oil and gas conference last year.The judge ruled that the 21-year-old Climate campaigner didnt break any law because the police failed to organize or communicate the public order to the protesters properly. Along with Thunberg, four other protesters were also acquitted of charges.These companies are destabilising the biosphere and climate, the life-supporting systems we all depend on to survive. They have displaced and destroyed countless peoples lives and livelihoods. We dont have the laws to keep the carbon in the ground and ensure safe lives for…— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) February 2, 2024Why Greta Thunberg was arrested in LondonEarlier, the group of five was arrested on October 17 during a protest at the Energy Intelligence Forum at the Intercontinental Hotel in London where oil and gas executives were addressing the convention.The trial and subsequent arrests underscore the intensified approach to policing protests following the implementation of new laws by the Conservative Government in May. These legislative changes were prompted by a series of environmental protests that disrupted critical infrastructure across the country.During the two-day trial, attorneys described how a substantial number of protesters obstructed the entrances and exits of the hotel starting from 7 AM. In response, the police invoked the Public Order Act, which means protesters had to remain in a specified area or face arrest, as they persisted in blocking the hotels entry points.However, the judge said that the communication regarding this restriction was insufficiently clear, and the protesters were not afforded a reasonable amount of time to respond before being taken into custody.
