Students were striking
On September 20th at the University of New Brunswick’s students, and other Fredericton locals gathered for a climate strike.
Over 100 people of all ages scattered across the University of New Brunswick quad as they listened to poetry readings, event coordinators.
With the Federal election coming up, and all the recent talk of climate change, protesters saw it as a chance to have their voices be heard.
Susan O’Donnell was the one who coordinated the poetry readings.
“We chose poetry because we want people to be touched in a totally different way,” O’Donnell said. “Sometimes reading or hearing about the climate crisis just doesn’t grab people in a way that poetry can.”
For most of the people who stood up at the mic, protesters rallied behind them cheering and clapping enthusiastically.
For others, like politician for the Liberal party Matt Decourcey, it didn’t go so well. As he spoke protesters raised their signs even higher and chanted “no pipelines”.
There was an open mic portion of the rally. This gave students, and other Fredericton locals the chance to stand up at the mic after listening to scheduled speakers.
Brian Beaton, a volunteer, had some thoughts on the rally and climate change,”I see it every year. We see it all the time,” Beaton said. “The changes that have taken place over the years. It’s very important that I’m involved doing something that I can do and helping others being able to raise their voices.”
Popular topics that were brought up during the rally were fossil fuels, pipelines and climate change. All of these are hot environmental topics.
After the rally ended and everyone got the chance to say their piece, Extinction Rebellion New Brunswick led a march.
Some protesters left after the rally. But some stayed and decided to embark on the 30 minute march to Fredericton’s downtown.
Protesters followed Extinction Rebellion in the blistering 25 degree heat. As the march made its way downtown, other Fredericton civilians joined in as it was passing by. And cars honked in support them.
The march ended at Chancery Place, where Premier Blaine Higgs’s office is located.
Protesters marched straight through the main doors. They filled the entire lobby, holding their signs and repeating their chants. Making their message be heard by political leaders and government.