A London judge acquits climate activist Greta Thunberg of refusing to leave oil industry conference

By BRIAN MELLEY
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — A judge in London has acquitted climate activist Greta Thunberg of refusing to follow a police order to leave a protest that blocked the entrance to an oil and gas industry conference last year. The courtroom gallery erupted with applause on Friday when the judge told Thunberg and her four co-defendants they were cleared of the criminal charge of breaching the Public Order Act. The judge cited “significant deficiencies in the evidence” presented by the prosecutor. He said the police could have applied less restrictive measures, didn’t properly define where protesters should move and gave an order to disperse “so unclear that it was unlawful.” Individuals who didn’t comply therefore committed no offense, the judge ruled.