Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, 21, gives the ‘surf’s up’ sign as she arrives at court for public order offence after protesting outside Mayfair oil executive meeting

Greta Thunberg was seen grinning and giving the ‘surf’s up’ sign as she arrived at court for a public order offence after a climate change protest in central London last year.

The Swedish activist, 21, was arrested during the demonstration near the InterContinental Hotel in Mayfair on October 17 as oil executives met inside for the Energy Intelligence Forum.

A total of 26 people were later charged with public order offences after allegedly refusing to leave the highway and continuing their demonstration on the pavement. 

Thunberg has now been seen arriving at court this morning for the trial, which is estimated to last two days. She is being charged alongside two Fossil Free London (FFL) protesters and two Greenpeace activists. 

FFL said it would hold a demonstration ‘in solidarity’ with the defendants outside Westminster Magistrates Court from 8.45am. 

They have since taken to social media to confirm the demonstration, writing on X: ‘We’re outside Westminster Magistrates’ Court for the beginning of the #OilyMoneyOut trials. 

‘Last October hundreds of activists peacefully protested outside the Oil and Money conference. And for the first time in our group’s history arrests were made.’ 

They had pleaded not guilty to breaching Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 at a previous appearance in November, with the Swedish activist mobbed by photographers outside.

Before the hearing she was seen smiling and made the ‘shaka’ gesture – a signal of friendly intent associated with surfer culture – at fans outside the building before the court hearing. 

The eco-activist, who gave her address as ‘Dorset’, confirmed her name and date of birth. She was seen laughing and smiling inside the court.

In the hearing prosecutor Luke Staton said: ‘This offence arises out of a protest occurred at the InterContinental Hotel in Park Lane.’

He said ‘Energy Intelligence Forum 2023’, which ran from 17 to 19 October, brought together ‘various decision makers and innovators and other stake holders form energy, finance, and business industries in order to discuss sustainable solutions’.

‘On the first day, 17 October a large number of protesters attended that location, police remained aware of this.

‘At approximately 7:15am there were stickers and promotional material relating to ‘Fossil Free London’.

‘The protesters began taking up positions around the entrance to the hotel thereby effectively preventing people from coming in and out, some had managed to climb onto roof and abseiled down and others sat in the road attempting to block the particular access to that location.

‘These defendants are charged in relation to section 14 conditions ultimately imposed by Superintendent (Matt) Cox.

‘The [protesters] were allowed to continue for approximately 5 hours until 12:32 pm where superintendent Cox imposed the conditions under section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 that condition being the protest must continue on the pavement on the south of Intercontinental Hotel.’

After failing to move onto the designated protest area, Thunberg and others were subsequently arrested and taken to the police station, the court heard.

The EIF was due to hear from the chief executives of Aramco, Repsol, Shell, TotalEnergies and the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation.

Supporters of Thunberg laughed from the public gallery as Mr Staton claimed the aim of the conference was to discuss ‘sustainable solutions’.

They were warned by District Judge John Law to be quiet or they would be removed from court.

Thunberg, of Dorset, appeared in court alongside Joshua Unwin, 31, of Hitchin, Herts, Peter Barker, 59, of Powys, Lars Kebbon, 19, of Dorset, and Jeff Rice, 56, of Nottinghamshire.

They all denied one count of failing to comply with a condition imposed under Section 14 of the Public Order Act. 

Following the hearing Thunberg was mobbed by photographers who had gathered on the court steps, with the campaigner seen smiling as she sprinted away from them.

Protesters from the campaign group and Greenpeace gathered outside the same building at Thunberg’s last appearance, chanting and holding banners reading ‘Oily Money Out’ and ‘Make Polluters Pay’.

Maja Darlington, campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said: ‘The prosecution of Greta and other peaceful protesters reflects a Government that cares more about bolstering the profits of oil bosses than fighting for a liveable future for all of us.

‘Instead of cracking down on climate activists, the UK Government should force Shell and the rest of the oil industry to stop drilling and start paying for the damage they are causing to our planet and everyone who lives on it.’

FFL campaigns against the use of fossil fuels by major oil and gas companies.

Joanna Warrington, an organiser with the group, said: ‘The UK criminalises peaceful climate activists like Greta whilst rolling out the red carpet for climate criminals in Mayfair hotels.’

At the protest on October 17, which was organised by the Fossil Free London, Thunberg had urged eco-activists to ‘reclaim the power’ and slammed ‘spineless’ politicians for failing to act on global climate change.

Demonstrators gathered to protest the Energy Intelligence Forum (EIF) – formerly the Oil and Money conference – which was taking place inside the building.

It featured speakers including COP28 President-delegate Dr Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber, net zero minister Graham Stuart, former climate change minister Charles Hendry and senior figures from energy firms BP, Shell, Repsol and ExxonMobil.

Its agenda included a discussion on whether the COP climate change gathering is ‘still relevant’.

Outside activists from Fossil Free London banged drums and chanted ‘oily, oily money, out, out, out’ as they blocked the hotel entrance.

Members of Greenpeace later dramatically rappelled down the side of the building to unfurl a banner reading: ‘Make big oil pay.’

Thunberg was seen smiling as she was detained by officers and led to a waiting police van, with video shared on social media showing her being frogmarched to the van as other protesters were told to stand back.