Over 200 protestors gathered in Parliament Square in London on Friday demanding government action over the climate crisis. The protest was organised as part of a series of similar events across the world, in what was planned as a global “climate strike” inspired by Swedish teenager

       The demonstrators, many of them young people skipping school, marched through Westminster calling for the abandonment of fossil fuels and a more effective response to the global emergency.

       Members of Greta Thunberg’s Fridays for Future movement led the protest, which included speeches from Labour MP Nadia Whittome, former Green Party leader Natalie Bennett, and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

       ‘No more greenwashing’

       Jeremy Corbyn said the Cop26 summit would be a ‘festival of greenwash’

       (Supplied)

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       Addressing the crowd of young protesters, Mr Corbyn said the Cop26 summit in Glasgow in November would be “a week-long festival of greenwash” if voices were not raised over climate change.

       “The crisis over gas at the present time is a crisis of the stupidity of a market, the stupidity of privatisation, and the stupidity of saying there’s no alternative but the system we have right now,” Mr Corbyn added.

       His comments were met with cheers from the crowd as he insisted that environmental politics was not separate from the rest of society, and that the poorest in the world and in society were affected the most by the consequences of climate change.

       Ms Whittome told protesters that “individual action” would not solve the climate crisis.

       “No more greenwashing, fossil fuels must stay in the ground, our energy must be 100 per cent renewable, and the destruction of our forests must end,” she said. “We literally cannot continue to live on a planet in a society that puts profits before planets and people.”

       After the speeches in Parliament Square, protesters marched through Westminster chanting: “Whose streets? Our streets!” and stopping traffic along the route, which was heavily policed throughout the day.

       ‘The government is not listening’

       Becky Truscott, who had joined the protest with her two children – one of whom was missing school in order to attend – said the government must be held to account over climate action.

       “Boris Johnson made a very nice speech yesterday in America. It totally contravened what he’s been saying in his articles as a journalist,” Ms Truscott said. “But knowing what’s going on behind the scenes, I question how much conviction is behind that. You’re calling on the developing world to divest from fossil fuels, but you’re not cleaning up your act in your own country.”

       Becky Truscott allowed her daughter May to skip lessons in order to be at the protest

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       Ms Truscott’s 12-year-old daughter, May, said: “What’s more important, one day of school or trying to convince our government that we need to keep our planet healthy and need it to survive?”

       Ms Truscott, who has four children, said her 12-year-old daughter was a “diligent student”, who would catch up with the school work she was missing but saw it as important to be in the ranks of protesters demanding a better future.

       “I think we need more representation here; the government is not really listening to what we need to do. I don’t think there are enough people here sticking up for themselves and getting their voices in,” May added.

       Cop26 will see leaders of nations across the world discuss ways to tackle factors contributing to the climate emergency.

       The demonstration was also attended by older protesters calling on the government to act.

       Members of Extinction Rebellion Grandparents and Elders said they were standing in solidarity with young people.

       “We want to show we care about young people’s futures, because the government just isn’t acting quickly enough. We’re here as a presence to say not enough is being done,” grandparent Mary-Anne told The Independent.

       Members of Extinction Rebellion Grandparents and Elders say they stand in solidarity with young people

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       Elijah McKenzie-Jackson, 17, one of the organisers mobilising the school strikes, toldThe Independent that the Fridays for Future movement is a “lifeline for the planet”.

       The teenager said he had directed his efforts into finding solutions to environmental problems after becoming depressed about the climate crisis.

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       “For young people, it came down to realising politicians aren't listening, they're not listening to the science,” Mr McKenzie said.

       The climate school strikes movement was started by Ms Thunberg, who protested outside the Swedish parliament. The movement has now spread worldwide, prompting young people across the globe to demand government action over climate change.