Town Hall swims. Thousands of students from across Sydney rage on in and take the stairs, the streets, washing over and around this bullshit city’s roadworks and ‘developments’, filling the sky with sound.
“The youth are rising.
No more compromising.”
The chant breaks and remakes itself. Parents lead infants with placards of animals and fish drawn with hope. ‘Nanas Knitting for….’ move too fast to catch their slogan! Anti Adani feeling is rife, unmistakeable.
If the old are here with the young, they remain wildly outnumbered. It’s hard not to be excited and amused by the passion and the wit of this ‘new’ generation and its fight for the planet and its future.
“The youth are rising.
No more compromising.”
‘Sorry I can’t go to school today, I have to save the planet.’ School Strike 4 Climate, Sydney. 15.03.19. Photography by Mark Mordue.
On the steps, young people take the microphone – 14, 15, 16, 17 – speaking clearly, rousing the crowd.
Danielle bags the PM for his put-down of the School Strike 4 Climate gathering last November. She says, “If you wanted less activism you could remove basic science from the syllabus. Alternatively, you could start doing your job.”
The children of this revolution cheer and laugh. “This right here right now, this is what democracy looks like.”
It’s a shock to be reminded of the value of physical action and its energy in a digital age of ‘Likes’. As if in being here, and breathing in the atmosphere, something forgotten about people power is, quite literally, reborn.
“The youth are rising.
No more compromising.”
‘It’s raining, it’s pouring, old men stop snoring.” School Strike 4 Climate, Sydney. 15.03.19. Photography by Mark Mordue.
Daisy steps to the microphone. “I’m 16 and I’m so proud to be striking with you for a better future.”
“We can’t vote,” she says, “but we’re here to make sure those in parliament know we need climate action now.”
“Together we are changing the world. We say our planet needs us. We say climate action now!”
“The youth are rising.
No more compromising.”
‘Steve Irwin would be disappointed.’ School Strike 4 Climate, Sydney. 15.03.19. Photography by Mark Mordue.
Adrian is 17. “How amazing it is everyone is here today to fight for our futures.”
More and more roll up to declare themselves. Ribbons of belief. The thinking and feeling are present in the placards and the energy and the voices. All that love and anger and humour in the city square…
‘Sorry I can’t go to school today. I have to save the planet.’
‘There is no PLAN(et) B!’
‘Cursed are the schoolkids for they shall inherit the Earth.’
‘Our future is not yours to have!’
‘You have ruined the Earth. Change, or the Earth will ruin you!’
We take to the streets, a loose march all the way to Hyde Park. The sun seems to have come out to brighten the way and the high buildings above us after spits of rainy gloom never realised themselves. The issues are complex. Of course, of course. But this story is simple…
“The youth are rising
No more compromising.”
‘I’m so hot.’ School Strike 4 Climate, Sydney. 15.03.19. Photography by Mark Mordue.
