Greta Thunberg, the 21-year-old climate campaigner, has spoken out in support of fellow activists facing prosecution in court, stating that “we must remember who the real enemy is.” Thunberg, who was arrested during a demonstration near the InterContinental Hotel in Mayfair on 17 October, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court along with two Fossil Free London protesters and two Greenpeace activists, who also denied breaching the Public Order Act 1986 by blocking the hotel entrance. The activists have stated that they were acting in line with scientific evidence on the climate crisis, and have called on authorities to better protect the interests of humanity and future generations as opposed to prioritizing the interests of oil executives.
Outside court, Thunberg passionately declared that environmental activists all over the world are facing prosecution for noble causes, and that we must be aware of who the real enemy is. According to the court, the protesters refused to move despite repeated requests by the police to do so. Thunberg was given a “final warning” by police before her arrest. Supt Andrew Cox, the most senior Metropolitan Police officer at the scene, stated that the actions of the protesters had resulted in access for members of the public to the hotel becoming “impossible,” and that the “majority” of people inside the hotel were unable to leave due to the demonstration.
Thunberg, the founder of the school strike for climate movement, walked past environmental protesters who were demonstrating “in solidarity” with the defendants upon arriving at court, holding large yellow banners that read “climate protest is not a crime.” Amnesty International UK’s chief executive, Sacha Deshmukh, has praised Thunberg for her peaceful climate protests and commented that the charges against her and fellow activists highlight the flawed nature of current UK protest policing methods.
The trial has once again placed the urgent crisis of climate change and humanity’s desperate need to prioritize protecting the environment on a global platform, with Thunberg and her co-defendants drawing attention to the seemingly never-ending battle to hold powerful companies and their executives accountable for their environmentally damaging actions
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