Report: Youth Strike For Climate, 14 February 2020

rs21 members • February 14, 2020

This Valentine’s Day marked the first school strike for climate of 2020 in the UK, as well as the first anniversary of the movement. A year on, the youth strike movement does not show signs of slowing down, and their demands and actions are developing in a more political direction over time.
Our members have visited their local strikes and reported on lively and numerous protests that centred migrant justice alongside climate justice.

Manchester – photos, video and words by Ian Allinson

Today’s climate strike saw the biggest turnout since November when it was boosted by the university strike. Hundreds gathered for speeches, chants and music before heading off to protest at a site the council plans to turn into another car park, which campaigners want as green space in the city centre. Tameside, the last Greater Manchester council, is expected to announce a climate emergency in the next few weeks. There was anger against Johnson and at the failure of governments and councils to match actions to words. Protesters responded positively to a call to join a protest at 11am tomorrow against deportations and over the Windrush scandal, which affects many in Manchester. Climate chaos will generate millions of climate refugees so opposing deportations is central to climate justice.

London – photos by Harry Holmes and Roderick C

Several thousand school strikers and supporters gathered on Parliament Square. The strikers marched to the Department of Education and then to the Home Office to protest against deportations and highlight the links between migrant justice and climate justice. As on previous youth strikes, there were reports of aggressive policing against the students, particularly while they were demonstrating in front of the Home Office.