Students across the world went on strike on Friday to try and bring awareness to climate change.
The strikes were planned in dozens of cities across the United States to coincide with even more planned around the globe. The U.S. strikes were organized by US Youth Climate Strike, which claims the day of strikes were done “because our world leaders have yet to acknowledge, prioritize, or properly address our climate crisis.”
Strikes were planned in major cities like New York, Boston, Washington D.C., Cincinnati, Chicago, Austin, San Diego, and Miami, among others. Other strikes around the world were planned in countries including China, Chile, and Uganda, according to Time.
The strikes were reportedly inspired by Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old from Sweeden, who was recently nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for her climate initiatives.
I’m hanging out at the many youth-led climate strikes happening across NYC (and the world) today. NYU students are rallying in Washington Square Park, there’s already been a die-in outside the UN, and rallies are planned at city hall and Columbus Circle. #climatestrike pic.twitter.com/K0l6CGTDt8
— rex (@oldredtree) March 15, 2019
One of the U.S. group’s co-organizers, 12-year-old Haven Coleman, told CNN the goal was to raise awareness among lawmakers about their concerns with climate change.
“When so many kids are striking, we’re stopping the whole system. And if we continue striking, we’ll keep the system halted,” Coleman told the news outlet. “And that scares politicians and it scares the government. So, they have to listen to us.”
Here’s a look at some of the strikes:
Lancaster Youth Climate Strike. Well done….let’s ALL fight for our future! #ClimateStrike #climatechange #GreenNewDeal pic.twitter.com/DFWwh6mijH
— Doug Snavely (@doug_snavely) March 15, 2019
“We strike for clean air. We strike for clean water. We strike for our lives” #climatestrike pic.twitter.com/BUDaIYjjTD
— Alliance for Youth Action (@alliance4youth) March 15, 2019
https://twitter.com/climatestrikeUS/status/1106589311259029506
Chesapeake Bay Foundation student trustee Devan Ogburn spoke at today’s youth climate strike rally to support needed forest protection bills in the MD General Assembly. #YouthCimateStrike pic.twitter.com/w7a8onZP6u
— AJ Metcalf (@AJwatchMD) March 15, 2019
https://twitter.com/Leman_Gr5/status/1106587398442532864
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