Greta Thunberg joined by 20,000 Brit eco-warriors for climate change march in Bristol – The Sun

HUGE crowds of protesters joined Greta Thunberg at a climate strike march in Bristol today.

Bristol Youth Strike 4 Climate began with the 17-year-old Swedish activist addressing supporters at College Green before leading the march through the city.

The Avon and Somerset Police estimated more than 20,000 people attended the rally despite the wet conditions.

Addressing the crowd, Greta said: “This is an emergency. People are already suffering and dying from the consequences of the climate and environmental emergency but it will get worse.

"Still this emergency is being completely ignored by politicians, the media and those in power.

"Basically, nothing is being done to halt this crisis despite all the beautiful words and promises for the elected officials.”

We are being betrayed by the people in power

She added: "World leaders are behaving like children, so it falls on us to be the adults in the room."

Thunberg went on to say: "We are being betrayed by the people in power and they are failing us but we will not back down.

“If you feel threatened by that, then I have some very bad news for you – we will not be silenced because we are the change and change is coming whether you like it or not."

As she arrived at Bristol Temple Meads station early this morning, Thunberg said the climate movement in the city was "strong".

Asked why she had chosen to visit Bristol particularly, she said: "Many different reasons, the movement is very strong here and I had contact with people who were here."

What Greta said

“This is an emergency. People are already suffering and dying from the consequences of the climate and environmental emergency but it will get worse.

"Still this emergency is being completely ignored by politicians, the media and those in power.

"Basically, nothing is being done to halt this crisis despite all the beautiful words and promises for the elected officials.

“So what did we do during this crucial time? What we will do right now, well I will not stand aside and watch, I will not be silenced while the world is on fire – will you?

"World leaders are behaving like children, so it falls on us to be the adults in the room.

“Just look at Bristol as an example.
“The other week, the plans to expand Bristol Airport were cancelled – a lot thanks to climate activists.

“And of course this is far from enough, but it shows that it does actually make a difference.

“Activism works. So I’m telling you to act.
“If you look throughout history, all the great changes have come from the people.

“We are being betrayed by the people in power and they are failing us but we will not back down.

“If you feel threatened by that, then I have some very bad news for you – we will not be silenced because we are the change and change is coming whether you like it or not.

“Thank you and let’s march.”

She said she hoped the event would be a "gathering of people standing together in solidarity".

It appears some schools have allowed children to miss class in order to attend the rally.

The Fishponds Church of England Academy said in a statement that "we are happy to authorise absence from 10am" but added that children had to be back in class by 1pm and that anyone leaving school had to be signed out by a parent or carer.

Bristol City Council told The Sun Online it was down to individual schools to allow pupils to attend the event.

Avon and Somerset Police had warned of the potential for protesters to be hurt from "tripping, falling or being crushed by the crowds" given the anticipated popularity of the event.

In a response posted on Twitter, Bristol Youth Strike 4 Climate said they had "no time for being patronised".

They had arranged for 60 metres of festival barriers, more than 80 stewards and a safe zone for young children.

Organisers said they were "honoured" to be welcoming Greta to Bristol for their 10th strike.

"After Thunberg founded the school strike movement, sitting in solitude outside of the Swedish parliament in 2018, millions of students across the world have been walking out of lessons monthly to protest government inaction on pressing climate matters," they said.

"Thunberg is an internationally known activist, having spoken at the UN Climate Action Summit in 2019 and receiving two Nobel Peace Prize nominations.

"September 2019's Global General Strike saw approximately 15,000 gathered on College Green and Greta's high-profile presence as a figurehead for the global climate movement brings attention back to Bristol students' fight for comprehensive climate policies.

"Thunberg will be making a speech for the strikers before joining the Samba band-accompanied march around the city centre."

Other speakers included student Mya-Rose Craig, 17, who recently became the youngest person to be awarded an honorary doctorate in the UK.

She received the honour, from Bristol University, for using her platform as a world-leading ornithologist to promote greater diversity in the wildlife and conservation sectors.

Speaking before the event, Ms Craig said: "I am enormously excited and honoured to be sharing a stage with Greta as well as demanding immediate and substantial action from governments around the world on climate and species extinction, as well as the need to interest young people of all ethnicities in the fight to save the planet."

Addressing the crowd she said: "Greta, welcome to our amazing city and thank you for being with us today.

"We have to engage with all of our communities in order to properly fight climate change.
"An unequal world can never be a sustainable one."

Protesters chanted "Greta, Greta, Greta" ahead of Thunberg's arrival on stage at 11.45am.

"I look up to Greta Thunberg and I want to show my respect," said Eve Nott, 11, from nearby Bath. "I think she can help us in changing our ways."

After the march, Greta headed to the Southville area of Bristol to view a mural of herself.

The work, by local artist Jody Thomas, was previously used by Greta as her profile picture on Instagram and Facebook.

A number of road closures were put in place around the city centre between 9am and 5pm to "minimise risk of harm", police said.

In a joint statement, Mike Jackson, executive director of Bristol City Council, and Superintendent Andy Bennett, Bristol police commander, warned of "major disruption" from the event.

"Bristol City Council and the Avon and Somerset Police are unable to accurately predict how large this event will be, however we have confirmation of people travelling from across the UK to attend," they said.

They urged people to allow extra time for travel and consider whether their journey was necessary.

Superintendent Andy Bennett described the event as a "great success".

He told the Bristol Post: “Today has been a great success considering the number of people who turned up at College Green.

“From the speeches to the marches every has conducted themselves fantastically and achieved their goals – I think it’s been real success.

“I believe there was about 20,000 people in attendance though the organisers believe it to be 30,000.

“Normally we would only put a small policing unity around a youth strike but today we had an extra 80 officers.

“We have quadrupled the numbers because when you see the logistics it was important for us to have higher numbers.

“The weather had an impact of the number of people who came and I would be very surprised if it didn’t.”

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