During a protest for a Fossil Free London, climate activist Greta Thunberg got into some trouble. She was one of around a dozen protesters who gathered to voice their opposition to an event hosted by the Energy Intelligence Forum. The 20-year-old is being held on allegations of disturbing the peace.
Twenty-seven protestors, including Thunberg, were reportedly arrested, and 26 of them were charged, according to BBC News. Authorities claim the teenage activist ignored a pre-event Section 14 injunction, which is intended to prevent potentially disruptive activities. The ordinance makes it illegal to disrupt the peace or cause damage to property during public gatherings. It’s also against the law to cut off people’s access to things like utilities, food, water, healthcare, worship, transportation, or communication services.
Thunberg and other protesters were detained by police when they disobeyed orders to relocate their demonstration from the street to the sidewalk. Twenty-one people were cited for disobeying the law, and five were cited for blocking traffic. Protesters voiced their disapproval of the executives from Shell and Total who were scheduled to attend the three-day event, formerly known as the Oil and Money conference.
When Thunberg was 15 years old, in 2018, she participated in her first climate protest, a school strike in Sweden. When the autistic teen finally found something she was passionate about — climate action — she was able to overcome her despair and return to school. She has racked up a number of fines for subsequent stunts, and these most recent charges may result in extra penalties. The activist is currently free on bond and has a court date set for November 15.
Broadcaster Julia Hartley-Brewer, former President Donald Trump, and even Russian President Vladimir Putin have all harshly criticized Thunberg. On the other hand, the young activist was named Time’s 2019 Person of the Year and was shortlisted for the Nobel Peace Prize five times between 2019 and 2023.
