London judge acquits climate activist Greta Thunberg of charge that she blocked an oil conference

By BRIAN MELLEY
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — A judge has acquitted climate activist Greta Thunberg of a charge that she had refused to leave a protest that blocked the entrance to a major oil and gas industry conference in London last year. Thunberg was acquitted along with four other defendants. Judge John Law said there were “significant deficiencies in the evidence” presented against Thunberg and the others to back charges that they had breached the Public Order Act during the Oct. 17 incident.  Law said the police could have taken less restrictive measures, didn’t properly define where protesters should move and the order to disperse that was given was “so unclear that it was unlawful” that those who didn’t comply committed no offense.