Greta Thunberg was apprehended while participating in a demonstration advocating for a Fossil Free London movement.

The Swedish climate advocate had joined fellow activists outside the InterContinental Hotel on Park Lane, where a gathering of oil executives was taking place.

The demonstrators made an effort to impede entry to the hotel by taking control of the vicinity near the entrance.

Fossil Free London shared a recent update on X, formerly known as Twitter, stating that Greta Thunberg has been apprehended.

The photos shared on social media depicted the activist, who is 20 years old, being escorted by law enforcement officers and placed inside a clearly identifiable van.

The Metropolitan Police declared that it had placed restrictions on the demonstrators in compliance with Section 14 of the Public Order Act. The purpose of this action was to avoid significant disturbances to the community, hotel, and its guests. The police requested the activists to relocate from the road to the sidewalk.

According to the information provided, “several demonstrators did not comply”, leading to the arrest of six individuals for obstructing the highway, an additional 14 arrests for violating Section 14, and one arrest for causing criminal damage.

A large number of demonstrators obstructed Hamilton Place, which runs near Park Lane, at both entrances. They displayed banners and pink umbrellas adorned with painted eyes, vociferously chanting phrases such as “remove dirty money” and “call off the conference,” while a few ignited smoke flares in yellow and pink hues.

To safeguard the hotel entrance and prevent protesters from entering, a pristine fence enclosed the area, allowing the police to discreetly guide conference attendees through the fervent crowd of activists.

The demonstration staged by Fossil Free London was scheduled to coincide with the commencement of the Energy Intelligence Forum, formerly known as the Oil and Money conference. Executives from Shell and Total were set to deliver speeches at the event.

During the rally, Ms. Thunberg expressed her concerns about the clandestine agreements and compromises being made between politicians and lobbyists from the fossil fuel industry at the Oil and Money conference. She referred to these politicians as spineless for succumbing to the influence of destructive industries.

“People all over the world are suffering and dying from the consequences of the climate crisis caused by these industries who we allow to meet with our politicians and have privileged access to.”

Greta Thunberg

She further mentioned, “That is why we have to take direct action to stop this and to kick oily money out of politics.”

In the course of the presentation, members of Greenpeace descended from the top of the hotel using ropes and displayed a banner stating “hold the fossil fuel industry accountable”.

Maja Darlington, representing Greenpeace UK, expressed that executives in the oil industry are celebrating their success in opulent accommodations and devising strategies to maximize their profits, all while numerous individuals face challenges in recovering from a season of unprecedented weather conditions.

“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.”

Maja Darlington, from Greenpeace UK

The conference will feature renowned speakers such as the CEOs of Aramco, a leading oil company in Saudi Arabia, and Equinor, a prominent energy company in Norway. Additionally, the German ambassador to the UK and Graham Stuart, the UK’s Minister of Energy Security and Net Zero, will also be speaking at the event.

In terms of energy security, Mr. Stuart has expressed the importance of permitting oil and gas companies to carry on with their drilling operations in the North Sea.