Greta Thurnberg has smiled and posed for photos as she arrived at court to be tried for a public order offence for participating in an eco-protest in London last year.
The 21-year-old, from Sweden, was arrested after staging a demonstration outside a London hotel, where oil executives were meeting on October 17.
The industry leaders were attending the Energy Intelligence Forum at the InterContinental Hotel in Mayfair.
Thunberg, alongside four other activists, pleaded not guilty at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in November to breaching Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 by blocking the entrance to the hotel.
Greta Thunberg pleaded not guilty to the offence in November
PA
They were accused of failing to leave the highway and continuing the protest on the pavement.
Their trial will be conducted by a judge without a jury and is expected to take at least two days.
If convicted, they would face a maximum fine of £2,500.
Thunberg, who arrived at court just after 9am today, smiled at photographers before making her way inside the building.
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The 21-year-old was arrested after staging a demonstration outside a London hotel on October 17
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Fellow environmental protesters said that they would demonstrate outside the court in solidarity with the defendants.
Activists held up banners in support of Thunberg and the other defendants, two from Fossil Free London (FFL) and two from Greenpeace.
The large yellow signs read: "Climate protest is not a crime" and "Who are the real criminals?".
Maja Darlington, campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said in a statement earlier on Thursday: "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.
Protestors gather outside Westminster Magistrates' Court to show solidarity with the defendants
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"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."
Joanna Warrington, an organiser with FFL, said: "The UK criminalises peaceful climate activists like Greta whilst rolling out the red carpet for climate criminals in Mayfair hotels."
Thunberg has been a well-known environmental campaigner since the age of 15.
In 2019, she became the youngest person to be awarded Time's Person of the Year.
