Greta Thunberg arrested after refusing to move from hotel during climate protest, court hears

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Climate campaigner Greta Thunberg refused to move from a hotel entrance regardless of requests from law enforcement officials, inflicting her arrest at a protest in central London, a court heard.

The 20-year-old had been demonstrating exterior the InterContinental Hotel in Mayfair on 17 October, as main oil executives attended an annual summit.

On Thursday, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard she was given a remaining warning by two Metropolitan Police officers, however allegedly refused to move in direction of the designated protest space and mentioned she was “staying where she was”.

After the day’s proceddings, standing exterior the court with a few of her co-denfendants within the case, Thunburg defended climate activists going through prosecution, saying “we must remember who the real enemy is”.

In court, she was joined two Fossil Free London (FFL) protesters and two Greenpeace activists who’ve additionally pleaded not responsible to breaching Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986.

The Swedish nationwide blocked Hamilton Place, close to Park Lane, on the primary day of the Energy Intelligence Forum, the place bosses of Shell and Total have been due to converse, the trial heard.

Formerly often known as the Oil and Money convention, quite a few senior CEOs, businessmen and political figures have been in attendance to talk about sustainable options to world power challenges.

At round 7.15am, quite a few activists descended on the scene and commenced to block the hotel entrances and safety exits. By 10.23am, protesters had gained entry to the roof of the constructing and have been slowly abseiling down, whereas a car entrance was additionally blocked by noon.

Thunberg was stood exterior the hotel entrance and was approached by police, knowledgeable of the situation and of the designated protest space, the court heard.

PC Tony Sothinathan, who arrested Ms Thunberg, informed the court he defined to the activist she had to move away from exterior the hotel in direction of Hamilton Place the place she may proceed to protest peacefully.

He then mentioned she refused to move and didn’t reply when informed she could be liable to arrest.

After reviewing PC Sothinathan’s physique cam footage, Ms Thunberg’s lawyer claimed she won’t have heard her circumstances for arrest due to loud chanting and a big crowd.

The officer mentioned he was assured she did hear his directions, regardless of his voice not being audible on separate physique cam footage for a close-by officer.

Superintendent Matt Cox, who was in control of policing on the day, informed the court: “Essentially the delegates weren’t able to get in and out of the hotel, it was relayed from security that people weren’t able to get out of the hotel. People were really restricted on how they could access the hotel.”

Those affected included a gaggle of 30 visitors who have been due to catch flights. The court heard that after repeated engagement with the activists, police imposed a Section 14 order and commenced informing protesters that they have been required to move to a delegated protest space on the pavement.

The Met Police mentioned that quite a few protesters had failed to adjust to requests to depart the street, and have been subsequently arrested.

Pictures confirmed activists carrying banners and pink umbrellas, whereas others lit pink and yellow flares.

The Metropolitan Police had imposed circumstances on the 17 October protest underneath Section 14 of the Public Order Act to “prevent serious disruption to the community, hotel and guests”.

An additional 21 individuals who took half in the identical demonstration, together with supporters of Extinction Rebellion, are additionally due to seem on later court dates.

Thunberg is showing alongside Christofer Kebbon, 19, Joshua James Unwin, 32, Jeff Rice, 57, and Peter Baker, 59, in November, with supporters additionally gathering exterior Westminster Magistrates Court to protest. FFL held an illustration in solidarity with the defendants exterior court from 8.45am.

Outside the court, she made an announcement during which she mentioned: “Even though we are the ones standing here, climate, environmental and human rights activists all around the world are being prosecuted, sometimes convicted and being given penalties for acting in line with science.

“We must remember who the real enemy is. What are we defending? Who are our laws meant to protect?”

The trial, anticipated to final two days, continues.