UK judge dismisses protest case against climate activist Greta Thunberg
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Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg (centre) arriving at Westminster Magistrates Court in London on Feb 2.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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LONDON – An English court on Feb 2 threw out a public order case against climate activist Greta Thunberg,
District judge John Law dismissed the case against the 21-year-old Swedish campaigner and four other activists on the second day of their trial in London.
He ruled police had attempted to impose “unlawful” conditions during an environment protest in the British capital in October 2023 when they were arrested.
Ms Thunberg, a global figure in the fight against climate change,
She had pleaded not guilty in November to breaching a public order law, alongside two protesters from the Fossil Free London campaign group and two Greenpeace activists.
In his ruling, Judge Law said the conditions imposed on protesters were “so unclear that it is unlawful”, which meant “anyone failing to comply were actually committing no offence”.
Ms Thunberg, who came to worldwide attention as a 15-year-old by staging school strikes in her native Sweden, regularly takes part in such demonstrations.
She was fined in October 2023 for blocking the port of Malmo
She also joined a march last weekend in southern England to protest against the expansion of Farnborough Airport, which is mainly used by private jets.
Demonstrators had greeted the October forum participants with cries of “shame on you!”. Some carried placards reading “Stop Rosebank”, a reference to a controversial new North Sea oil field the British government authorised in September 2023.
Police said officers had arrested Ms Thunberg for failing to adhere to an order not to block the street where the rally was taking place.
Greenpeace UK campaigner Maja Darlington hailed the Feb 2 verdict as “a victory for the right to protest”.
She added: “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.” AFP
