Greta Thunberg in London court after climate protest arrest / Photo: © AFP
Greta Thunberg in London court after climate protest arrest
Climate protesters sang songs and held up banners on Wednesday as Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg arrived at a London court after being arrested during a demonstration against the energy industry.
The 20-year-old activist -- a key face of the movement to fight climate change -- was among 26 people charged with a public order offence at the October 17 demonstration in London.
She was released on bail and ordered to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court in central London.
Thunberg was mobbed by photographers and film crews as she arrived, with Greenpeace and Fossil Free London campaigners holding banners proclaiming "Oily money out" and "Make polluters pay".
A 28-year-old charity worker from Fossil Free London who gave her name only as Josie told AFP she was there to show solidarity with those arrested.
Last month's meeting involved oil executives and others for discussions about making "lots of money out of destroying our future", she added.
The demonstration saw several hundred rally outside a major London hotel, blocking all entrances to the venue.
Maja Darlington, a campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said the group's activists joined the demonstration to send "a clear and peaceful message" to the oil bosses.
Before her arrest, Thunberg had criticised "closed door" agreements struck between politicians and representatives of the oil and gas industry.
London police said they imposed "conditions to prevent disruption to the public" at the protest, which were then breached, prompting the arrests.
Thunberg was put in a police van outside the Energy Intelligence Forum.
She has since come under fire for wearing a black and white Palestinian scarf and urging a "ceasefire now" during a climate protest in Amsterdam.
Her speech at the event on Sunday was interrupted by a man who tried to snatch a microphone from her, saying he had come for a climate protest, not tohear her other views.
After he was removed by security officers, Thunberg began chanting, along with the crowd, "no climate justice on occupied land".
Thunberg, who started the so-called "School Strike for Climate" movement as a teenager, was fined by a court in Sweden earlier in October.
That followed the court convicting her for having resisted arrest during a July protest that blocked traffic.
S.Arnold--TNT
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