Hundreds to take part in ‘massive’ climate strike in Bristol ahead of COP26 summit

Hundreds of young people are expected to descend on Bristol as part of a Youth Strike 4 Climate protest tomorrow (Friday, October 22).

The protest will be at College Green from 12noon.

It is being headed up by Bristol Youth Strike 4 Climate (BYS4C), which is working in collaboration with Extinction Rebellion Youth Bristol and student unions at Bristol University, Bath University, Bath Spa University and University of the West of England.

Organisers are calling on young people to walk out of their places of education for the event, ahead of the COP26 summit in Glasgow which starts at the end of the month.

They are unhappy at ‘empty promises’ surrounding the climate and ecological crisis in the past by world leaders, including at previous COPs, and are demanding ‘meaningful action’ be taken immediately.

According to the event’s Facebook page, more than 200 people are attending.

And a message on BYS4C’s website reads: “We will be taking to the streets before COP26 on Friday 22nd October to demand the change we need.

“In Bristol, we are working with other groups, including the Bristol Student Union to try and create a massive mobilisation in our city.

“Time is running out to tackle this emergency - we need to force change now.”

The group held a climate strike in February last year which saw around 30,000 people gather in Bristol for a rally, with Swedish activist Greta Thunberg in attendance.

Bristol activist Barnaby Swonnell, aged 18, said: “As we approach COP26 we have got to send a clear message: we won’t settle for empty promises, we need climate justice now.”

The event is occurring alongside other climate strikes across the world, including in Glasgow and Oxford in the UK.