Climate march soars in Antwerp

Climate march soars in Antwerp
In Antwerp this morning, the first of about 2,500 marchers left from Operaplein in the direction of downtown, demanding concrete action against climate change. Anuna De Wever and Kyra Gantois, the Youth for Climate movement’s initiators, led the procession, accompanied by the Sweden's Greta Thunberg. The media’s interest in the young activist was still evident today. She was surrounded by security to keep the crowd at bay.

Antwerp has already held several climate marches over the past four weeks that only gathered a few hundred youths. This is the first time that the city hosts the national initiative, which has been held in Brussels.

"The presence of Greta Thunberg is clearly a plus,” Students for Climate’s Maite De Haan exclaims. "But it is especially important that Antwerp make their voices heard." 

Another march is also taking place in Mechelen. On the Grote Markt, more than 1,000 young people gathered for a first climate march in the city, organized by a local branch of Youth for Climate. 

"Record heat was registered these last few days, but we are still without a climate policy. It is essential that we continue on the streets until this happens,” the participants emphasized.

They unfurled banners with original slogans, such as "More bees, less pâté", "We do not want Mechelen-on-the-Sea", and the traditional "There isn’t any Planet B,” while singing: “We are hotter, hotter than the climate."

The Brussels Times


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