Day of the classroom climate warriors
Children across Scotland quit school to join campaign to save the planet
SCOTLAND’S children joined millions worldwide to abandon classes and take to the streets in protest against catastrophic climate change yesterday.
The demonstrations, claimed by organisers as the world’s biggest environmental action, were inspired by Swedish schoolgirl Greta Thunberg, who left her lessons to protest outside her country’s parliament each Friday.
Organisers Scottish Youth Climate Strike said there were 20,000 protesters in Edinburgh, 12,000 in Glasgow and 300 in Inverness. Local media also reported that there were up to 1,000 demonstrators in Aberdeen.
The protests were among 15 held in towns and cities across Scotland, including Dundee, Dumfries, Inverness, Fort William and Lerwick.
Schoolchildren, some of whom wore their school uniforms, joined in on more than 200 different climate events in Britain after they were urged to walk out of classes throughout Friday, a situation that has proved controversial.
Last month, Edinburgh City Council voted to limit absences for school climate protests to one a year, meaning pupils who take part in more than one could be punished.
But Scottish Children’s Commissioner Bruce Adamson has now written to education leaders across Scotland to demand that no pupil should be punished for taking part.
Politicians have been split on whether or not pupils should be skipping lessons to attend the climate protests, with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson among those to commend young demonstrators.
Demonstrators in Edinburgh set off from Middle Meadow Walk in The Meadows before marching through the city centre to a rally at the Scottish parliament. The city council banned them from Princes Street as it would cause too much disruption.
Protesters in Glasgow filled the city’s George Square, brandishing placards and banners.
One placard read: ‘My baby isn’t even born yet, and they’re already disappointed with you,’ while another stated: ‘Don’t kill my kids.’
Speaking at the Glasgow rally, Patrick Harvie, co-leader of the Scottish Greens, hailed the demonstration as an expression of hope.
He said: ‘This younger generation is giving the leadership that my generation has failed to show.
‘These people know that their future is in peril, and there is hope if this generation can take the political power that it’s capable of on a day like this.’
Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson tweeted: ‘Great to see
‘These people know their future’s in peril’
so many people at the Glasgow Youth Climate March, all raising awareness of the climate crisis. We demand immediate, strong action to stop irreversible damage. We must protect both our planet and future generations.’
Comic Sir Billy Connolly was among those to give his support to children taking part.
Speaking during a trip to Glasgow, he told Radio Clyde News: ‘I’m so proud of the Glasgow kids doing this. If they don’t do this, there might never be any school.
‘It’s too important to ignore. They’re brilliant, we should be proud of them.
‘We should applaud them. They deserve it.’
Ahead of the strike action, a Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘The global climate emergency and a Green New Deal for Scotland are at the centre of our programme for government. ‘We are leading by example through bold actions.’
Lizzie Parsons, who organised the protest in Dumfries, said: ‘You can give up your car or eat less meat or become vegetarian and get political or join up with your community.
‘But it is too late for just individual action – we need to join up together and work together on this.’
Meanwhile, hundreds of all ages turned out in force in Aberdeen. Alison Duncan, 69, from Stonehaven, Kincardineshire, said: ‘I know I’m old but it’s the younger generation that are going to suffer because of this.
‘The way people are treating the planet is awful.’
Today, protesters are planning a mass ‘die-in’ around Edinburgh, followed by a ‘day of disruption’ tomorrow in the Scottish capital.