Up to 1.4 million children around the world took part in a global climate strike on Friday to demand world leaders do more to address the dangers of climate change. The mass protests were sparked by 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who has skipped school every Friday to sit outside the Swedish parliament to demand leaders act on climate change. Democracy Now! was in the streets of New York City on Friday with the young activists. We speak with 18-year-old Alysa Chen, one of the organizers of the walkout at New York City’s Bronx High School of Science.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now! I’m Amy Goodman. Up to 1.4 million young people around the world took part in the “Global Climate Strike” Friday to demand world leaders to do more to address the dangers of climate. Strikes were reported in 125 countries. The mass protests were sparked by 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who has skipped school every Friday to sit outside the Swedish parliament to demand leaders act on climate. On Friday, Greta spoke at her rally in Stockholm, Sweden.
GRETA THUNBERG: The last time I checked, there were over 123 countries where there are going to be strikes today, in 2,052 places, cities.
AMY GOODMAN: Greta Thunberg was just nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. Here in New York, students held a climate strike rally outside City Hall.
PROTESTERS: What do we want? Change! When do we want it? Now! What do we want? Change! When do we want it? Now!
ALYSA CHEN: I am here from Bronx Science. We walked out of our school. We all received cuts. My friends got zeros on their math test. We’ve neglected anything from our school to walk out and come here today from the Bronx. This country needs to get its priorities straight. I demand our mayor to support the declaration of climate change as a national emergency!
PROTESTERS: Show me what democracy…