School strike 4 climate protests erupt across New Zealand

Students, parents, and supporters from across New Zealand are protesting on Friday as part of the School Strike 4 Climate movement, demanding urgent climate action and social justice reforms. Protests are in Auckland, Dunedin, Whanganui, Christchurch, and New Plymouth, but Wellington's event was cancelled.

Key demands and calls for justice

Protesters demand climate justice, abolishing the Fast-Track Bill, honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and urging the government to support Palestinians in Gaza. Additional demands include:

• Upholding commitments to the Emissions Reduction Plan

• Correcting harmful environmental policies

• Ending oil and gas exploration

• Regulating international flights and cruises to reduce emissions

• Lowering the voting age to 16

In New Plymouth, demonstrators gathered at Puke Ariki Landing, though reports indicated fewer school-aged attendees than expected.

"We refuse to stand by while decisions destroy our future, environment, and the lives of indigenous and marginalized communities," said protester Kereama. "Together, we will fight for climate justice and a future where people and the planet come before profit," added fellow protester.

Govt pushback on student participation

Associate Education Minister David Seymour has stirred controversy by urging schools to mark students attending the strike as “unjustifiably absent.” While Seymour praised students for caring about important issues, he argued that the classroom is the best place for young people to develop skills to address climate change.

"I admire their passion, but the best way to prepare for these challenges is through education," Seymour said. He suggested holding protests on weekends or holidays to minimize impact on students' learning.

Seymour announced a crackdown on truancy, introducing the Stepped Attendance Response (STAR) policy, aiming to tackle school absences by prosecuting parents after 15 days of missed classes. He emphasized that attending the strike would count toward this absence limit, urging schools to treat it as explained but unjustified.

Despite the government's stance, young protesters remain undeterred. Kereama Allen, a spokesperson for School Strike 4 Climate (SS4C), said the government's reaction fueled students' determination. "This shows the government isn't listening to young voices in Aotearoa New Zealand. Now is a crucial time to strike for a better future."

The strikes in Auckland, Christchurch, Otago, and other cities reflect a growing movement of rangatahi (young people) who believe immediate action is needed to address the climate crisis and uphold social justice commitments.