Hundreds of students, some as young as 10, have stormed politicians’ offices in a nationwide protest to demand more action on climate change on Friday.
Activists claimed up to 500 students ‘made a racket with kazoos’ outside the Marickville office of federal Labor MP Anthony Albanese.
Witnesses reported kids as young as 10 barged into Mr Albanese’s office, yelling insults at staff and demanding the shadow minister for infrastructure ‘come out’.
We have Kazoos and not afraid to use them,’ one protester yelled, according to The Daily Telegraph.
‘We just want to kill ScoMo,’ said another.
Protester and police at Liberal Party headquarters in Melbourne on Friday
Protesters in Melbourne outside Liberal Party headquarters on Friday
Other young students were heard chanting ‘no more oil, keep our carbon in the soil’ while some reportedly stood on chairs in the reception area as other classmates tossed ‘Stop Adani’ posters on the floor.
Activists have claimed 75 strikes took place at federal MP offices around the country to demand the Adani coal mine be stopped, no new fossil fuels, and that Australia transition to 100 percent renewable energy sources by 2030.
About 500 students protested outside Tony Abbott’s electorate office in Manly, activist group School Strike 4 Climate said via email.
The group said that after today, the children will turn their attention to recruiting hundreds of students to ‘turn out on’ polling booths across the country on election day.
It was not immediately clear which candidates or parties the students would campaign for adults to vote for at the May 18 federal election, as their email said they would be: ‘calling on all adults to #VoteClimate for their futures’.
Queensland students had earlier planned to rally at the offices of 16 federal MPs across the state to voice their concerns about the climate policies of both major parties.
Schoolchildren in front of former prime minister Tony Abbott’s office in Manly on Friday
Brisbane student Sara McKoy, 16, said Australia lacks leadership on climate change.
‘With the election just around the corner we want to send a message to politicians that young people are not going to stay quiet,’ she told AAP.
‘We’re in a climate crisis and this is going to have a big effect on us if they don’t start taking climate change seriously.’
The striking students have three demands: stop the Adani coal mine in central Queensland, no new coal or gas, and 100 per cent renewables by 2030.
Ms McKoy urged voters to make May 18 a climate election.
‘It’s really important the major parties address climate change with policies that meet our international obligations,’ she said.
School students in Melbourne protest on Friday outside Liberal Party headquarters
In Townsville, students plan to walk out of school for 12 minutes to signify the 12 years we have to tackle the climate crisis.
Rallies and marches will also be held in Hervey Bay, Gympie, Tamborine Mountain and at Kenmore State High School.
The worldwide student strike movement started in August 2018, when 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg began protesting outside her parliament on school days.
School students in Adelaide protest outside the offices of Trade Minister Simon Birmingham
In March, about 150,000 students, parents and activists took to the streets across Australia to protest the federal government’s climate policies.
Strikes were held at 60 locations, as part of a global effort to shine a light on climate change.
The organisers of Friday’s actions said students also plan to turn out at polling booths across the country on election day.