Hundreds of thousands of young activists flooded the streets of various cities all across the globe, from Berlin to Boston, to call attention to the climate crisis.
Students all around the world left school to march on their city’s streets and spread awareness for their cause. The climate strikes were started by youth activist Greta Thunberg, who left school to protest her country, Sweden’s, climate policies. Her call to action has sparked other youth activists to flood the streets on Friday, Sept, 20, to call attention to the rising climate crisis.
Boston’s City Hall was filled with people ranging from all ages, from young children of about four to people in their mid-sixties or seventies, all holding signs calling for action against the climate crisis.
Children, teenagers and adults had gathered at City Hall Plaza, holding signs and listening to representatives of various organizations give speeches about the issue of climate. The crowds of people started as soon as one exited Government Center Station.
Signs that read, “There is no Planet B” and “The Climate is Changing Why Aren’t We?” filled City Hall Plaza and the MBTA as people were heading in for the strike. One sign read, “I’m 14 and I Have 11 Years Left.” Another striker held up a paper-mache doll of President Trump dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit behind a set of bars with a paper sign that read, “Climate Criminal” and on his back a sign that read, “Jail to the Chief.”
Many signs called for action of Senator Ed Markey’s Green New Deal, and for a switch to more renewable energy instead of fossil fuels.
Many politicians were in attendance at the strike, including Senator Ed Markey, Mayor Marty Walsh, and Councilor Michelle Wu. Senator Markey is pushing for a Green New Deal that would help the US switch over to a more renewable infrastructure. Councilor Michelle Wu spoke at the strike urging the young people in attendance to keep striking, to keep pushing for change.
Wu stated in her speech to the crowds of people in attendance, “We know we can do it, but it’s going to take each one of us fighting for that brighter, healthier future. No more fossil fuel infrastructure. Protecting our wetlands and natural resource areas. Electrification, renewable energy, 100 percent renewable. Food Justice, all throughout the food system. Good jobs in the green economy. And public transportation that is reliable, accessible and free to all. We have all we need to get that done. I see you here for climate justice. Turn to you neighbor and say we are going to fight for a better future. We are going to fight for our best future. Turn to your neighbor and say we’re in this together. We are in this together.” “Stable housing, sustainable food systems, racial equity, social justice, economic justice, shared prosperity.”
The strike moved from City Hall through the Boston Commons and up to the State House. Chanting from the crowd, “We demand a Green New Deal,” “Climate Change has got to go,” and “We want a Green New Deal, when do we want it? Now,” could be heard all the way up to, and inside of, the State House from people in attendance.
People crowded the open area of the State House holding banners over railings that stated, “Era of the Green New Deal” and “We Deserve a Future.” Boston was not the only city on Friday that had a climate strike. Australia, South Africa, and New York also participated, as well as many other cities all across the globe participated in their own climate strikes. The strikes come a day before the Youth Climate Summit on Saturday, Sept. 21, and three days before UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit on Monday, Sept. 23.
