NYC Climate Strike: Thousands Demand Action

NEW YORK CITY — Thousands of New York City's young citizens began a long march toward downtown Manhattan Friday, joining millions worldwide in climate strikes, to send an urgent message to their lawmakers: "I'm not going to let them destroy the Earth anymore."

Hoards of New Yorkers carried signs that read "Compost The Rich" and "Protect Our Home," to Foley Square and Brooklyn Borough Hall Friday morning to rally before marching for Climate Change action.

“We want to be able to live on an Earth that’s clean and safe,” said 15-year-old Molly, who said she'll have an unexcused absence on her record for coming to the march. Her friend Fiona added, “We want to know that there will be a future for generations and generations after us."

Meet Molly and Fiona, 15 year olds of Rockland County. Their principal wouldn’t excuse their absences but they still showed up for the strike. “We want to be able to live on an Earth that’s clean and safe,” says Molly, who was in a climate club in elementary school. pic.twitter.com/2mQDXI9AiM
— Sydney Pereira (@sydneyp1234) September 20, 2019

The strike falls on the second anniversary of when Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico. Marchers will demand no more fossil fuel usage, environmental justice for communities most negatively impacted by climate change in the transition to clean energy, and to hold polluters accountable.

Millions of people are expected to walk out of their schools, workplaces, and homes in solidarity, and the hundreds of events across the U.S. are beginning to get underway.

Students also gathered on the steps of Brooklyn Borough Hall before beginning a march across the Brooklyn Bridge to join protesters in Manhattan.

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams led the young Brooklynites in a furious chant. "I'm not going to let them destroy the Earth anymore!" the students cried out.

At 11 a.m., the youngest speaker at the strike, 13-year-old Marisol Rivera, spoke at 336 Broadway about how she survived 2012's Superstorm Sandy and how her family was impacted by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. She joined other teenage climate activists and others in the climate justice movement at the strike.

"I am striking on Friday because of how my life changed after Hurricane Sandy; a disaster fueled by climate change," she said in a statement.

Already, more than 100,000 people marched in Melbourne, Australia late Thursday, according to CNN as protests spread across the globe in Asia and Europe overnight.

"This is a global issue which actually affects everyone. We are all in the same boat, so everyone should be concerned about this," Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old climate activist from Sweden who has become known worldwide for launching student strikes every Friday, said in a video calling on adults to take action.

The Global Climate Strike comes days before the United Nations Climate Action Summit that begins Sept. 23 in New York City, where leaders from government, business, and civil society are expected to address the global climate emergency.

Patch editor Anna Quinn contributed to this report.