Montreal students are joining in the fight against climate change by striking every Friday as a part of a worldwide protest called "Fridays For Future".
The event was started by a Swedish student, Greta Thunberg, who began protesting outside Swedish parliament with a sign that read "School strike for climate."
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TL;DR Students across the globe are rising up to protest government inaction in regards to climate change and Montreal students are joining the fight. They are skipping school every Friday until they see some changes as part of the Fridays For Future or Pour le futur movement.
You may have heard of Thunberg after she addressed the United Nations Climate Change Conference this January. I've included the video to her speech below.
It appears that Montreal students are heeding Thunberg's call and have joined in the Fridays for Future protest.
The students above can be heard chanting:"Plus chaud, plus chaud, on est plus chaud que le climat."
@mtlblog_newsWhat looks like hundreds of students are walking near Jeanne Mance Park in Montreal to protest political inaction in regards to ongoing climate change.
According to theGazette, students are skipping despite potential detention for "unmotivated absence" - because clearly, they are very motivated.
The signs above read:
"Monsieur Legault, your inaction is killing us."
"Trudeau, it's our earth that you're killing."
Students have even willingly missed tests in order to participate - they are taking Thunberg's sentiments to heart.
Thunberg was quoted saying: “If grown-ups don't give a shit about my future, I won't either."
Manon Masse was present at the protest today and is clearly very proud of Montreal's youth.
The tweet below reads: "Bravo to the young people who went into the streets today to demand that the political class acts in the face of climate change!"
Bravo aux jeunes qui sont sortis dans la rue pour réclamer que la classe politique agisse face aux changements climatiques!#Polqc #grevepourleclimat #assnat #climatestrike pic.twitter.com/ZlHahcO8t5
While schools are reprimanding the students for skipping, as is their job, of course, many parents of the students are supportive of their desire to change the current situation.
Plus, these students are flexing their right to free speech, their right to freedom of assembly and the right to peaceful protest. These are things you learn about in school, but to actually live them out is another lesson altogether.
I was incredibly proud to watch Thunberg, above, deliver this message to the U.N. and I am equally as proud of the students who are going out week after week until they see their demands met.
Maybe I'll have to cut out of work early next week to join them...
The Montreal event Facebook page can be found here and on Instagram here.