Young activists and their supporters rally for action on climate change on September 27, 2019 in Montreal, Canada. (Photo: Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
With Over 6 Million People Worldwide, Climate Strikes Largest Coordinated Global Uprising Since Iraq War Protests
"The momentum is on our side and we are not going anywhere."
Climate strikes over the last seven days drew over 6.6 million people into the streets around the world, putting the week-long action on par with the 2003 global protest against the U.S.-lead invasion of Iraq.
Friday's 600,000 strong demonstration in Montreal made the total number of people who took part in the seven days of action "almost certainly the largest demonstration our planet has yet seen about climate change," said 350.org founder Bill McKibben.
In a statement, 350 gave the numbers:
From 20th to 27th of September, 1.4 million people took to the streets in Germany, over 1 million in Italy, over 600,000 in Canada, over 500,000 in the United States, 350,000 in Australia and another 350,000 in the United Kingdom, 195,000 in France, 170,000 in New Zealand, 150,000 in Austria, 50,000 in Ireland, 70,000 in Sweden, 42,000 in the Netherlands, 20,000 in Brazil, 21,000 in Finland, 15,000 in Peru, 13,000 in Mexico, 13,000 in India, 10,000 in Denmark, 10,000 in Turkey, 10,000 in Pakistan, 6,000 in Hungary, 5,000 in South Korea, 5,000 in Japan, 5,000 in South Africa, more than 3,500 in Chile, 3,000 in the Pacific, 2,000 in Singapore and much more, since many locations are still striking and the final count is not yet confirmed.
"The week of Global Climate Strikes is on par with the 2003 anti-Iraq war protest as one of the largest coordinated global protests in history," 350 said.
"We strike because we believe there is no Planet B and that we should do everything in our power to stop this crisis," Fridays for Future Turkey organizer Atlas Sarrafoglu said. "Otherwise my dreams of having a happy future will be taken away from me as well as all the other kids all over the world."
Organizers of the global movement said that they were pleased with the turnout and that the movement wasn't going anywhere.
"This week was a demonstration of the power of our movement," said Fridays For Future International. "It was inspiring and historic. People power is more powerful than the people in power."
"It was the biggest ever climate mobilization, and it's only the beginning," the group said. "The momentum is on our side and we are not going anywhere."
350 executive director May Boeve said that the climate actions would continue until policies improve.
"We will keep fighting until the politicians stop ignoring the science, and the fossil fuel companies are held responsible for their crimes against our future, as they should have been decades ago," said Boeve.
FINAL DAY! This is urgent.
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission from the outset was simple. To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It’s never been this bad out there. And it’s never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed and doing some of its best and most important work, the threats we face are intensifying. Right now, with just hours left in our Spring Campaign, we're still falling short of our make-or-break goal. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Can you make a gift right now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? There is no backup plan or rainy day fund. There is only you. —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Climate strikes over the last seven days drew over 6.6 million people into the streets around the world, putting the week-long action on par with the 2003 global protest against the U.S.-lead invasion of Iraq.
Friday's 600,000 strong demonstration in Montreal made the total number of people who took part in the seven days of action "almost certainly the largest demonstration our planet has yet seen about climate change," said 350.org founder Bill McKibben.
In a statement, 350 gave the numbers:
From 20th to 27th of September, 1.4 million people took to the streets in Germany, over 1 million in Italy, over 600,000 in Canada, over 500,000 in the United States, 350,000 in Australia and another 350,000 in the United Kingdom, 195,000 in France, 170,000 in New Zealand, 150,000 in Austria, 50,000 in Ireland, 70,000 in Sweden, 42,000 in the Netherlands, 20,000 in Brazil, 21,000 in Finland, 15,000 in Peru, 13,000 in Mexico, 13,000 in India, 10,000 in Denmark, 10,000 in Turkey, 10,000 in Pakistan, 6,000 in Hungary, 5,000 in South Korea, 5,000 in Japan, 5,000 in South Africa, more than 3,500 in Chile, 3,000 in the Pacific, 2,000 in Singapore and much more, since many locations are still striking and the final count is not yet confirmed.
"The week of Global Climate Strikes is on par with the 2003 anti-Iraq war protest as one of the largest coordinated global protests in history," 350 said.
"We strike because we believe there is no Planet B and that we should do everything in our power to stop this crisis," Fridays for Future Turkey organizer Atlas Sarrafoglu said. "Otherwise my dreams of having a happy future will be taken away from me as well as all the other kids all over the world."
Organizers of the global movement said that they were pleased with the turnout and that the movement wasn't going anywhere.
"This week was a demonstration of the power of our movement," said Fridays For Future International. "It was inspiring and historic. People power is more powerful than the people in power."
"It was the biggest ever climate mobilization, and it's only the beginning," the group said. "The momentum is on our side and we are not going anywhere."
350 executive director May Boeve said that the climate actions would continue until policies improve.
"We will keep fighting until the politicians stop ignoring the science, and the fossil fuel companies are held responsible for their crimes against our future, as they should have been decades ago," said Boeve.
Climate strikes over the last seven days drew over 6.6 million people into the streets around the world, putting the week-long action on par with the 2003 global protest against the U.S.-lead invasion of Iraq.
Friday's 600,000 strong demonstration in Montreal made the total number of people who took part in the seven days of action "almost certainly the largest demonstration our planet has yet seen about climate change," said 350.org founder Bill McKibben.
In a statement, 350 gave the numbers:
From 20th to 27th of September, 1.4 million people took to the streets in Germany, over 1 million in Italy, over 600,000 in Canada, over 500,000 in the United States, 350,000 in Australia and another 350,000 in the United Kingdom, 195,000 in France, 170,000 in New Zealand, 150,000 in Austria, 50,000 in Ireland, 70,000 in Sweden, 42,000 in the Netherlands, 20,000 in Brazil, 21,000 in Finland, 15,000 in Peru, 13,000 in Mexico, 13,000 in India, 10,000 in Denmark, 10,000 in Turkey, 10,000 in Pakistan, 6,000 in Hungary, 5,000 in South Korea, 5,000 in Japan, 5,000 in South Africa, more than 3,500 in Chile, 3,000 in the Pacific, 2,000 in Singapore and much more, since many locations are still striking and the final count is not yet confirmed.
"The week of Global Climate Strikes is on par with the 2003 anti-Iraq war protest as one of the largest coordinated global protests in history," 350 said.
"We strike because we believe there is no Planet B and that we should do everything in our power to stop this crisis," Fridays for Future Turkey organizer Atlas Sarrafoglu said. "Otherwise my dreams of having a happy future will be taken away from me as well as all the other kids all over the world."
Organizers of the global movement said that they were pleased with the turnout and that the movement wasn't going anywhere.
"This week was a demonstration of the power of our movement," said Fridays For Future International. "It was inspiring and historic. People power is more powerful than the people in power."
"It was the biggest ever climate mobilization, and it's only the beginning," the group said. "The momentum is on our side and we are not going anywhere."
350 executive director May Boeve said that the climate actions would continue until policies improve.
"We will keep fighting until the politicians stop ignoring the science, and the fossil fuel companies are held responsible for their crimes against our future, as they should have been decades ago," said Boeve.