Fridays for Future: At Mumbai edition of climate strike, youth demand action from policy makers
On 27 September, almost 2500 people in Mumbai took to the streets for a climate strike, as part of the global Fridays for Future movement.
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On 27 September — the last day of the global climate change week — all over the world, over four million people were striking for the environment across 163 countries, as part of the Fridays for Future or School Strike for Climate movement, inspired by Greta Thunberg.
Protesters demanded government action and responsibility to prevent further global warming and climate change.
The silent people’s protest in Mumbai saw about 2500 people take to the streets. It started at four in the afternoon at Bandra’s Joggers Park and marched to the Carter Road Amphitheatre.
A majority of Mumbai’s protesters were students and young people — a reflection of the global movement.
While thinking about climate change more generally, a concern high on protesters’ minds was the potential felling of trees at the Aarey Colony to build a car shed for the Metro III line.
Among the protesters was eight-year-old Aashaan who says that "we already have enough metros" and that if the government doesn’t prevent the felling of trees at Aarey, his generation will take charge.
“We destroyed the planet, we have to save it,” says 12-year-old Arya who was at the protest. She was with her 83-year-old grandfather who said that the “next generation is the best [hope for the planet]. They must be. And it starts from here.”
Among the protestors were also student groups from schools in the city.
While the march was silent, upon reaching the Amphitheatre, the protesters chanted, “What do we want? Climate Justice. When do we want it? Now.”
The protesters also took a pledge: “I will educate at least 10 people in my community and question them: ‘What are they doing for climate change?’ We will demand climate justice and ask our policy-makers to act now.”
The Fridays for Future volunteers organised an event comprising speeches and performances by actress Bhumi Pendekar and singer Sunita Rao, among others.
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