Tens of thousands of school students across Australia and New Zealand skipped school today to protest governmental inaction on climate change. They brought anger. They brought chants. They most definitely brought signs.
[jwplayer SgY57JH9]
Observe the young protesters in Auckland, who got the international School Strike 4 Climate off to a raring start with timeless yellow-and-black number:
You better believe the protests drew all types, who directed varying levels of savagery towards their climate-denying elders.
The goths have spoken pic.twitter.com/dbfa89RM0n
— Justine (@kvetchings) March 14, 2019
The scene was similar down in Wellington, where kids expressed the notion that yes, the impacts of climate change will disproportionately impact younger generations.
Across the ditch, Sydney students got things started in fine form. Town Hall Square was inundated with signs, including the potent “was hoping for a cooler death”.
Some were more direct in their ire, specifically at Prime Minister Scott Morrison, whose climate change policies will leave coal power production largely as-is, and who has objected to students even leaving their classrooms for the demonstrations in the first place.
A few other familiar faces made it onto signs, too.
Tellingly, much of the rage has been expressed through youth vernacular. We can only assume the full import of “you’re cancelled” can be translated by a parliamentary media advisor with a cursory knowledge of Twitter stan culture.
https://twitter.com/jonnoxrevanche/status/1106384264130494464
https://twitter.com/Leesidge/status/1106356666704945152
There were similar scenes over in Melbourne, where the streets were jam-packed full of furious kids – and Morrison-targeting memes.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BvAqlcoFqfX/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BvAvFIYAye_/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BvAzCGtHTL3/
At least one young demonstrator in Adelaide used her picket to shout-out Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old inspiration behind the student strike movement and brand-new Nobel Peace Prize nominee.
Elsewhere in the City of Churches, protesters referenced Alicia Keys and RuPaul’s Drag Race. That’s a potent combination in any capacity, but it feels extra spicy when utilised to combat antiquated and flat-out ineffective policies to mitigate an unfolding global catastrophe.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BvAz-JdFFxh/
Expect more note-worthy signs to pop up as protests kick off across the rest of the world. Young folks on our little corner of the planet seem to have started it off right, though.
