Greta Thunberg appears at London climate protest with Rosebank campaigners: ‘Kick oil money out’

Greta Thunberg has been arrested in London during a climate protest at a glitzy oil industry summit.

The Swedish activist joined a large demonstration in central London on Tuesday outside of the Energy Intelligence Forum at the InterContinental Hotel on Park Lane which draws some of the most powerful players in fossil fuels.

Video footage showed Ms Thunberg, wearing a badge with the slogan “Oily Money Out”, calmly listening as two police officers spoke to her, with one holding her arm.

She was then led towards a police van by two officers and put inside.

The Met Police said they have arrested 14 people under the Public Order Act to prevent “serious disruption to the community, hotel and guests”.

“Officers asked the protestors to move from the road onto the pavement, which would enable them to continue with their demonstration without breaching the conditions,” the police said in a statement.

“A number of protestors failed to do so and we have now made a further 14 arrests for section 14 of the public order act and a further one for criminal damage.”

Earlier in a speech, Ms Thunberg said people in power were “knowingly leading us to the end of a precipice” as she encouraged people “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,” she added. “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 demonstrations, dozens of people attempted to block access to the hotel, chanting “oily money out” and “cancel the conference”.

Protestors from Fossil Free London and Extinction Rebellion beat drums, and waved banners and pink umbrellas as they vowed to continue to protest throughout the three-day Energy Intelligence Forum.

Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg is put in the back of a police van, while being detained, during an Oily Money Out protest in London (REUTERS)

The event, earlier known as Oil and Money conference, draws business and policy leaders to “debate and shape sustainable solutions to the energy challenges of the 21st century”.

The CEOs of oil giants like Saudi Arabia’s Aramco and Norway’s Equinor will speak at the event along with the German ambassador to the UK and Graham Stuart, UK energy security and net zero minister.

Sultan al-Jaber, the oil executive who is also chair of this year’s Cop28 climate summit, had been expected at the event. However the final attendees’ list did not include his name.

Demonstrators from Fossil Free London and Oily Money Out protest as oil companies attend the Energy Intelligence Forum in London (REUTERS)

At Tuesday’s event, Ms Thunberg, who has been vocal in her criticism of UN climate summits, said Cop28 cannot be trusted “because the fossil fuel industries are tightening their grip around their processes and dictating their outcomes”.

“Our world is being washed away by greenwashing and lies. The fossil fuel industry has actively distracted and delayed. They have created loopholes to allow their business to go on at the expense of the planet,” she said.

“We are choking from their fumes.”

Director of Fo Robin Wells previously said: “The main purpose of protesting this forum is to make it clear that the industry is not welcome to come to our city, is not welcome to schmooze our politicians, is not welcome to profit at the expense of the collective survival and the health of the one home that we all share.”