Young Italians take to streets to demand climate action

(ANSA) - Rome, September 27 - Hundreds of thousands of young Italians took to the streets on Friday to demand action to tackle the climate crisis.
    The 'green wave' could be seen in protests in 160 Italian towns and cities as part of the third 'Global Climate Strike'.
    Organizers said that around 150,000 took part in the Milan rally alone. A slogan in Palermo read 'the world isn't a trash dump' while one in Palermo said 'Don't break our future'.
    A banner in Cagliari was more threatening, declaring 'We'll submerge you before the sea does - we want climate social justice'.
    Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish climate activist who inspired the protest movement, was pleased. "Incredible pictures from all over Italy! This is Torino," she said in a Twitter post featuring a video of the Turin march.
    "#ClimateStrike #FridaysForFuture".
    Italian Education Minister Lorenzo Fioramonti of the 5-Star Movement (M5S) had sent a circular to public school principals encouraging them to excuse students who may be absent on Friday due to participation in the climate strike. The demonstrations wrap up the worldwide Week for Future initiative that began on Friday, September 20, kicking off strikes in 130 countries overall, involving four million people, organisers said. Most countries chose to demonstrate on September 20, but Italy chose the 27th, along with 26 other countries, including Canada, where Thunberg was set to attend the demonstration in Montreal.