Greta Thunberg, and four other activists, are due in court today to answer for the blockade of a conference in October 2023.
A Fossil Free London demonstration prevented delegates, and journalists, from entering the Energy Intelligence Forum.
A demonstration will take place outside Westminster Magistrates Court to show solidarity with the five on trial. They have been charged with a public order offence. Another 21 people will appear at later dates.
Fossil Free London organiser Joanna Warrington said oil companies, and their bosses, were “corrupting our politics. They spend millions lobbying our politicians to double down on unaffordable and dirty fuels, locking us into a future of struggle. Their profit is our loss.”
Warrington said the authorities had criminalised peaceful protest, while “rolling out the red carpet for climate criminals in Mayfair hotels. Fossil fuel corporations are most responsible for the climate crisis, and we will continue to hold them to account no matter what the state throws at us.”
The five had an initial hearing in November. They spoke to confirm their names, addresses and to enter a plea of not guilty.
The trial is expected to last for two days.
The government increased its ability to tackle public order offences in May 2023. This gave the police more power to tackle protests.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) charged most defendants with failing to comply with section 14 of the Public Order Act. Liberty, an NGO, has said the act contravenes parliamentary sovereignty and is bringing it to judicial review in February.
Thunberg has not backed down from her advocacy role following the arrest. On January 27, she attended a protest in Hampshire calling for a ban on private jets.