Greta Thunberg at teen climate march in Antwerp
3,000 youngsters took part in the climate march in Antwerp this morning in the presence of Greta Thunberg, the young Swedish activist who started the international movement. The figure is well down on previous marches in Brussels.
School strikers got off to an early start leaving the Operaplein around 9:30. Anuna De Wever and Kyra Gantois, the two Flemish teens who started the protests in Belgium, were there too. There was great media interest and stewards had to screen off the leaders of the climate teen protests. The marchers headed through the streets of Antwerp finishing at the Groenplaats around 11AM.
Climate teen marches by schoolchildren and students playing truant have been held in Antwerp for several weeks now usually attracting several hundred protesters. Maïté de Haan of Students for Climate: "It's fun that Greta is here but it's above all important that Antwerp citizens let their voice be heard."
This is the eighth week in a row that Youth for Climate and Students for Climate organise protests in Flemish cities calling for greater action against climate change. In all 13,000 school children and students took part.
