Greta Thunberg blasts politicians 'behaving like children' as activist faces backlash
GRETA THUNBERG hit out at politicians "behaving like children" in the face of demands for action to tackle climate change ahead of her pro-environment protest march in Bristol.
Greta Thunberg: ‘Nothing is being done to halt’ climate crisis
Climate change activist Greta Thunberg kicked off Bristol's Strike 4 Action protest with a furious speech aimed at politicians "behaving like children" in the face of calls for action to protect the environment. The 17-year-old Swedish activist insisted young people must "be the adults in the room" after international governments failed to set out appropriate measures to reverse the effects of climate change on the planet. Ahead of the Bristol march, Ms Thunberg said: "There will be a time when we will look back and ask ourselves what we did right now. How do we want to be remembered?
"This is an emergency, people are already suffering and dying from the consequences of the climate and environmental emergency. But it will get worse.
"Still this emergency is being completely ignored by the politicians, the media and those in power. Basically, nothing is being done to halt this crisis despite all the beautiful words and promises from our elected officials."
She continued: "What we will do right now. I will not stand aside and watch, I will not be silenced while the world is on fire. World leaders are behaving like children.
"So it falls on us to be the adults in the room."
Ms Thunberg continued: "It should not be this way, we should not be the ones who lead on this and tell the uncomfortable truth.
"Once again, they sweep their mess under the rug for us young people, for their children to clean up for them.
"But we must continue and we have to be patient and remember that the changes required will not happen overnight since the politics and the solutions needed are still far from sight."
But the meet up in Bristol caused backlash on social media as users warned of the potential risks for the crowd of "vulnerable teenagers" spreading and catching the dreaded coronavirus.
One Twitter user wrote: "Brilliant idea...Let's get as many teenagers who are vulnerable to the flu virus together in one spot, outside in the cold and help #coronovarius become a pandemic in the #UK.
"WTF*&k thought this was a good idea? Were there any adults in the room?"
READ MORE: Greta Thunberg in Bristol: ‘I’m telling you to act!’ Climate activist issues UK demand
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Another said: "Imbeciles. Ignoring the elephant named COVID-19 in the room.
"England's chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty, said on Thursday that transmission of the virus between people in the UK was 'just a matter of time'".
One user wrote: "I hope there's not many coughing and sneezing. It takes one infected with coronavirus in that crowd and there will be a lot of sick kids about."
And one Twitter user said: "Not very sensible to encourage large gatherings when coronavirus is a concern. Kids should be in school.
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"Can parents fine schools for stopping their education? Thunberg needs to go to China & India not the UK. We are ahead of most countries in tackling climate change."
Originally Ms Thunberg had hoped to hold her speech in London, however, she could not find an area big enough, so protest organisers suggested Bristol instead.
Thousands have gathered at the BYS4C on College Green today to hear the Swedish activist speak after she arrived in an electric car. It is thought that this year’s event in Bristol will be much larger than any other protest in 2020.
Activists have travelled far and wide, including Inverness, to hear the teenager speak.
Ms Thunberg arrived by train and was driven to College Green for the rally in a red Nissan Leaf electric car.
It comes after the local police force warned parents of the “potential for trips, slips, falls and crushing”.