Locals participate in worldwide climate protest
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POLSON – About 50 people gathered on the Lake County courthouse lawn to do their part in what was a global climate protest on Friday.
Around the world, masses of young people filled the streets on every continent for a day of global protests. According to the New York Times: “Organizers estimated the turnout to be around four million in thousands of cities and towns worldwide.”
In Polson, the crowd was filled with people of all ages at around noon. Homemade signs were held up during the event.
Marina Kestner-Pavlock, 12, attended the event with a group of students from Glacier Lake School in St. Ignatius. “We all wanted to come here to do something to help save the planet,” she said. “People need to know that this is happening. More people need to take action.”
Lily Mikes, 13, said she felt like adults are leaving environmental destruction for the kids to figure out in the future. “Pollution is a problem,” she said.
Polson’s protest organizer, Kim-Beatrice Schmidt, was the first to speak at the event. She thanked Greta Thunberg, 16, of Sweden, for starting the global movement in Stockholm.
Schmidt said solving environmental problems shouldn’t be divided by political beliefs. “We need to drop those labels and unite as a community.” The group loudly applauded her message. After several more speeches, they walked downtown carrying the signs and asking people to take action.
