Greta: Grown-ups mock kids because world view threatened
TORONTO — Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg said Friday she doesn’t understand why grown-ups and world leaders would mock children and teens for communicating and acting on science, responding to attacks on her campaign as students conducted a second wave of global protests demanding action on climate change.
When asked about President Donald Trump and others who have mocked her, the 16-year-old activist said they likely feel their world view and interests are being threatened by climate activism.
“We’ve become too loud for people to handle so people want to silence us,” she said at a rally in Montreal after meeting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “We should also take that as a compliment.”
The youth climate movement has drawn criticism from some who accuse the students of overreacting and say they would be better off going to school. In an apparent sarcastic jibe at Thunberg this week, Trump tweeted: “She seems like a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future. So nice to see!”
Thunbeg told the crowd in Montreal that “We will do everything in our power to stop this crisis from getting worse even if that means skipping school or work. The people have spoken. And we will continue to speak until our leaders listen and act.”
Her comments came as fears about the impact of global warming on younger generations drew protests in Germany, India, Spain, Portugal, Sweden and the Netherlands, a week after hundreds of thousands rallied worldwide before the U.N. summit.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, upon returning to Tehran, said the leaders of Germany, France and Britain had told him the U.S. was prepared to lift the sanctions if Iran agreed to negotiations on the nuclear deal. But he added the sanctions must be lifted before talks could begin.
In the capital, Port-au-Prince, hundreds of opposition supporters ransacked a police station used by a special tactical unit, hauling out office furniture and even Kevlar vests and ammunition in the city shantytown of Cite Soleil. An Avis car rental office and Western Union branch were also attacked and burned.
Several houses were burned, and groups of protesters hurled rocks at police, who responded with tear gas.