Some Londoners will be gathering in front of city hall Friday afternoon to reassert their support for the city to take urgent action on climate change.
The mass call to action, led locally by youth and Indigenous groups, is part of a global movement that will see millions of young people take to the streets to demand climate justice for all.
Organizers are focused on working together and ensuring that Indigenous and youth voices remain at the forefront of demanding climate action.
“Indigenous issues are human issues,” said Yeyatalunyuhe George, Haudenosaunee and Ojibwe from Oneida of the Thames and organizer with Idle No More London. “We have been fighting for our rights for generations.”
People will start assembling in front of city hall at 3 p.m. with youth and Indigenous speakers to address the crowd at 3:20 p.m.
A march through downtown London gets underway at 3:45 p.m.
In the previous global climate strike on Sept. 27, over 300 Londoners rallied and marched from city hall.
“It’s not just for us, it’s for all the people that live on this planet. Everything is connected and government decisions ultimately affect us all,” said George.
This week’s demonstration coincides with city staff’s submission of a report to London city council recommending specific actions to match council’s declaration of a climate change emergency in April.
That report was presented to council Nov. 26.