An estimated 1,000 young people marched from Brussels central station to the Brussels-Midi station on Friday, according to an estimate by the Brussels-Ixelles police.
The police counted 1,000 youths, but the Youth for Climate organisation speaks of 2,000 participants, reports Bruzz.
The procession left around 2:00 PM from the central station in Brussels, with the NGO Greenpeace leading the march with ice sculptures of penguins. Demonstrators were chanting slogans, including "We are warmer than the climate!"
The many students ignored Minister Weyts' warning that truancy would be punished.
"Minister Weyts is right when he says that we have to sit on school desks and learn new things that we can use later. But as long as they don't do anything to ensure our future, we will continue to be on the streets. We cannot resign ourselves to the fact that there is no safe future," said Lola Segers of YFC, reports Bruzz.
They had, as always, shown great imagination in displaying messages on their cheeks, on signs, on banners and on various plastic creations, Belga reports. Speeches were given upon their arrival at the Midi station at around 3:30 PM.
"Today, we are in the streets for the oceans, because it is Oceans Week," said Adélaïde Charlier, a leading figure in the Youth for Climate movement. "We have two lungs: the oceans and the Amazon rainforest. I had the chance to travel the oceans and reach the Amazon rainforest a few months ago and I can assure you that they are in danger. It is also thanks to them that we survive. We have to take this message to Europe and be leaders of this change."
The Brussels Times
