Greta Thunberg found not guilty after climate protest in London

Greta Thunberg and four co-defendants have been found not guilty of failing to follow police instructions as they were told to move on during a climate change protest at a hotel in Mayfair. A judge said there was "no evidence" of criminal activity.

The 21-year old Swedish campaigner was arrested in October at a protest near the InterContinental Hotel in Mayfair. Police asked the protesters to move on, which they didn't do, and were then arrested for breaching the Public Order Act.

However, judge John Laws said that everyone who failed to comply with the orders, "committed no offence". He went on to say: "There was no evidence of any vehicles being impeded, no evidence of any interference with emergency services, or any risk to life."

He also noted a lack of evidence, and found it "striking" that no attempt was made to get witness statements from those inside the hotel, and those trying to get in - some 1,000 people.

He said that the protest was "throughout peaceful, civilised and non-violent" and criticised evidence provided by the prosecution about the location of where the demonstrators should be moved to, saying the only helpful footage he received was "made by an abseiling protester".

The police claimed that they had tried to engage with protesters to attempt to improve access for members of the public, which they say had been made "impossible".

Judge Laws rejected the claim saying: "the main entrance was accessible (meaning) that the condition... was unnecessary when the defendants were arrested".

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