17 October 2023 , 12:49
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Greta Thunberg has been arrested during a demonstration outside a hotel in London where oil executives are meeting.
The Swedish climate activist has been pictured being led away by officers following her involvement in the 'Oily Money Out' protest today. The 20-year-old was wearing a wooly hat and a badge bearing the name of the campaign.
Photos show two officers holding her arms to the sides while she walks outside the InterContinental London in Park Lane grinning. The demonstration was taking place on the opening day of the Energy Intelligence Forum 2023 and was organised by Fossil Free London and Greenpeace.
Other photos show her being place in a police van. Fossil Free London posted on X: "Breaking- Greta Thunberg has just been arrested."
Thunberg was among five people arrested (Chris J Ratcliffe for Greenpeace)The climate activists gathered to demand the oil executives remove their money from national politics. They say that fossil fuel companies are deliberately slowing the global energy transition to renewables in order to make more profit, highlighting how this year's UN climate conference president is also the CEO of an oil company. The protesters attempted to block access to the hotel by sitting and standing on the pavement by the entrance.
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The Met Police said five people in total were arrested on suspicion of obstructing a highway and taken into custody. However, an Associated Press photographer saw Thunberg being led away by officers and taken into a police vehicle, along with about 10 other activists.
Thunberg was put into a police van (AFP via Getty Images)Addressing journalists outside the hotel prior to her arrest, Thunberg said: "The world is drowning in fossil fuels. Our hopes and dreams and lives are being washed away by a flood of greenwashing and lies. It has been clear for decades that the fossil fuel industries were well aware of the consequences of their business models, and yet, they have done nothing.
"The opposite - they have actively delayed, distracted and denied the causes of the climate crisis and spread doubts about their own engagement in it." Dozens of protesters blocked Hamilton Place at both ends with banners and pink umbrellas with eyes painted on, shouting "oily money out" and "cancel the conference", while others lit yellow and pink smoke flares. A white fence surrounded the hotel entrance keeping protesters out while police smuggled conference attendees through the crowd of chanting activists and a samba band.
Activists protested outside the hotel where oil executives were meeting (Chris J Ratcliffe for Greenpeace)Thunberg went on to say: "We cannot let this continue. The elite of the oil and money conference, they have no intention of transition. Their plan is to continue this destructive search of profits. That is why we have to take direct action to stop this and to kick oil money out of politics. We have no other option but to put our bodies outside this conference and to physically disrupt. And we have to do that every time, we have to continue showing them that they are not going to get away with this."
During the demonstration, activists from Greenpeace abseiled down from the roof of the hotel to unfurl a banner reading "make big oil pay", while a strong wind billowed the message and the protesters against the side of the building. Maja Darlington, a campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said: "Oil bosses are toasting each other in a luxury hotel and plotting how to make even larger profits, while millions struggle to rebuild after a summer of extreme weather.
Thunberg addressed protesters and the press during the demo (Chris J Ratcliffe for Greenpeace)"Big oil is profiting from humanity's loss and those who have done the least to cause climate change are being forced to pay the price." Speakers at the conference include the chief executives of Saudi Arabia's Aramco and Norway's Equinor, the German ambassador to the UK and Graham Stuart, UK energy security and net zero minister.
Mr Stuart has previously said that allowing oil and gas companies to continue drilling the North Sea for resources is necessary for energy security. Protesters and energy analysts have said any new fossil fuel projects, such as Rosebank which was recently granted consent to begin operations, would have no immediate effect on consumer bills and would mostly be sold abroad.
Thunberg said: "We cannot let this continue." (AFP via Getty Images)Lauren McDonald, a campaigner against Rosebank, said: "The only reason that they continue to pursue this is for profit, there is no justification for this. So as we head into another round of climate talks, we are demanding that Norway - that wealthy happy country that is powered by green energy at home - we are demanding that Norway stops putting the brakes on other countries' energy transitions. We are demanding that Norway stops profiteering while others around the world are struggling to pay their bills, struggling to live and struggling to survive in our destabilising climate."
On the arrests, a Met Police statement said: "At 7.18am we responded to reports of a protest outside a hotel in Park Lane. Five people have been arrested on suspicion of obstructing a highway and taken into custody. Officers remain in the area." The activists said they will continue their actions throughout the planned Energy Intelligence Forum, which is due to last over the following three days.