Greta Thunberg joins eco-protest outside energy conference as activists scale five-star London hotel
17 October 2023, 10:31 | Updated: 17 November 2023, 11:24
An eco-activist has disrupted a meeting of oil and gas companies in central London by scaling the five-star hotel its conference is held in, with Greta Thunberg watching on from below.
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Thunberg is among hundreds of climate activists at the protest, which is targeting an annual meeting of oil industry leaders at a luxury hotel in between Mayfair and Knightsbridge.
The event is the Energy Intelligence Forum which "brings together decision-makers, thought-leaders and innovators from the worlds of energy, finance, politics and business to debate, discuss and develop sustainable solutions to the world’s energy challenges".
Footage taken by LBC shows a protesters scaling the building as chants ring out from below.
Greta Thunberg joins eco-protest in central London
The identity of the protester that scaled the building is unknown.
More than 300 activists have gathered at the protest near Hyde Park, with some setting off flares and others chanting as they sit in the middle of the road.
🚨 Huge environmental protest in Central London, must be 300 activists by Hyde Park
— Henry Riley (@HenryRiley1) October 17, 2023
Organised by Fossil Free London protesting against the Energy Intelligence Forum in Mayfair@LBC @LBCNews pic.twitter.com/GwluMoOrCq
Major companies are at the three-day conference, running from October 17 to October 19, including Shell, Total and Equinor.
Activists labelled the conference as the 'Oscars of oil'.
“Behind these closed doors at the Oil & Money conference, spineless politicians are making deals [with fossil fuel executives]”, Ms Thunberg said at a press conference earlier in the week.
“The elite of the Oil and Money conference - they have no intention of transition. Their plan is to continue this destructive search for profits. That is why we have to take direct action to stop this and kick Oily Money Out of politics.”
More follows.
