COLOGNE: The youth climate movement Fridays for Future on Monday began a five-day, round-the-clock demonstration in the German city of Cologne.
The demonstration began at 9 am, but had to change plans to demonstrate on the Old Market Square in the heart of historic Cologne, as the city was still cleaning up the square after Sunday’s Pride celebrations.
Instead, the protesters are demonstrating on the square in front of Cologne’s main station. More than 70 participants gathered at the square on Monday morning.
Contrary to initial plans, they will also not be protesting overnight on Monday, also due to the clean-up efforts. Starting on Tuesday evening, the participants will demonstrate through the night, rotating in shifts.
Fridays for Future, inspired by Swedish teen Greta Thunberg and so named because schoolchildren take time off school on Fridays to protest government inaction on what they call the climate crisis, aims to end the Cologne protest on the last day before the summer holidays.
On Friday there will be a closing rally, a spokeswoman said, before schools go on their summer break.
The organizers expect 30 to 50 participants to be present every day of the protest.
In the last week before the summer holidays there is usually not much teaching done in schools, so the time can be better used for a good cause, the spokeswoman said.
However, a spokesman for Cologne’s local government stressed that the schoolchildren must attend school, even in the last week before the holidays.
“School attendance is compulsory, up until the last day of school. We are taking on a boring role here, because we are bound by the law.”
For months now students and school pupils around the world have been demonstrating on Fridays to raise awareness of climate change.
— dpa
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