Students around Australia have walked out of school to protest government inaction on climate change, in the Strike 4 Climate Action.
Oooh it’s hot in here, there’s too much carbon in the atmosphere #ClimateStrike pic.twitter.com/FogOvNnBJZ
— School Strike 4 Climate Australia (@StrikeClimate) November 30, 2018
Massive protests in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne are currently ongoing, with hordes of primary and high school students congregating in the city centres. Regional protests are planned in 20 regional centres around the country, and Hobart saw a large turnout yesterday.
#ClimateStrike is BIG beyond our wildest dreams! 5000 + students in Melb & Syd & 1000s more across the country 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼
— School Strike 4 Climate Australia (@StrikeClimate) November 30, 2018
Primary school and high school kids have showed up in their thousands, representing a generation demanding more action from the government on climate change. A particular focus is on the proposed Adani coal mine in Queensland.
THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE #CLIMATESTRIKE pic.twitter.com/8jy0VQB3f9
— School Strike 4 Climate Australia (@StrikeClimate) November 30, 2018
The strike comes days after Prime Minister Scott Morrison told students planning to protest to be “less activist“. On Monday he asked students to stay in class rather than attending the protests, saying:
Each day I send my kids to school and I know other members’ kids should also go to school but we do not support our schools being turned into parliaments.
What we want is more learning in schools and less activism in schools.
3000+ Melbourne #ClimateStrike students will #StopAdani! pic.twitter.com/7DVpKWXbf3
— School Strike 4 Climate Australia (@StrikeClimate) November 30, 2018
Two days ago, hundreds of activists lined up outside Parliament House in Canberra in order to meet with several politicians to discuss climate inaction.
Still waiting to go in to Parliament House…@ScottMorrisonMP @billshortenmp will you save us the wait and come #MeetTheKids? #SchoolStrike #climatestrike pic.twitter.com/7CgfBW9yNe
— School Strike 4 Climate Australia (@StrikeClimate) November 27, 2018
Sydney 14-year-old Jean Hinchcliffe said in a statement on the protests:
As a generation, we are sick of those in power failing to stop the climate crisis.
Our future is on the line … We are striking to tell our politicians to stop all new coal and gas projects and take immediate action to move Australia to 100% renewable energy.
The protest has echoes of this year’s anti-gun protests in the United States, after the fatal school shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. Both movements appear to demonstrate that it’s the youngest members of our society who are most determined to make changes to the world before everything goes completely down the toilet.
Watch SBS‘s live coverage of the Sydney protests below:
