Climate activist Greta Thunberg has celebrated outside court after having a public order offence charge thrown out today.
The 21-year-old was attending Westminster Magistrates Court with a group of fellow climate protesters as the Judge ruled to drop the charge.
District Judge John Law stated that Metropolitan Police had attempted to impose "unlawful" conditions against Thunberg and the protesters at the scene.
Speaking on behalf of Thunberg, lawyer Raj Chada said the charges made against her were "rightly dismissed".
He told reporters: "The conditions imposed on the protest were unclear, uncertain and unlawful.
"They were unlawful because they disproportionately interfered with our client’s right to free speech."
Greta Thunberg celebrated outside the Westminster court as her charge was thrown out by a judge
PA
Chada revealed that the Thunberg camp will "look into all options" in taking civil action against those who prosecuted the case.
He added: "The Government should stop prosecuting peaceful protesters and instead find ways to tackle the climate crisis."
Thunberg was arrested in October 2023 while taking part in a protest outside the Energy Intelligence Forum in Mayfair.
Police had accused the demonstrators of failing to leave the road and continuing their protest on the pavement.
Greta Thunberg was arrested in October 2023 and charged with a public order offence
PA
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Thunberg pleaded not guilty to a breach of Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986. Two Fossil Free London protesters and two Greenpeace activists were also accused of the same public order offence.
District Judge John Law said on Friday that conditions imposed on protesters in October were "so unclear that it is unlawful", and "anyone failing to comply were actually committing no offence".
He added that the demonstration outside the InterContinental Hotel was "peaceful, civilised and non-violent".
Judge Law concluded: "It is quite striking to me that there were no witness statements taken from anyone in the hotel, approximately 1,000 people, or from anyone trying to get in.
Greta Thunberg and climate activists sung a song from The Muppet Show before walking away from court
PA
"There was no evidence of any vehicles being impeded, no evidence of any interference with emergency services, or any risk to life."
Thunberg and her group of activists then gathered outside the Westminster Court in a joyous celebration of the ruling.
The crowd were smiling and laughing before starting to sing a song from The Muppet Show and walking away.