Bern climate protesters call for change

© Keystone / Peter Schneider

Thousands of people took to the streets in the Swiss capital Bern to protest about climate change and call for politicians to do more. swissinfo.ch was there.

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According to organisers, around 8,000 people demonstrated in the city on Friday, part of a huge coordinated climate strike by students across Switzerland and the globe.

+ Find out what happened elsewhere in Switzerland

Our reporter Susan Misicka was there as the official event was taking place. “I was waiting for them to appear in the distance. I heard them long before I saw them and it was an amazing sound! And then to see the thousands coming across the bridge leading into the old town was impressive. They still had lots of energy!” she said.

Many young people had cut school to attend the march. Some demonstrators carried banners.

Here are some young climate strikers on why the event was important for them.

PLACEHOLDER

This protester sees the momentum of the climate movement continuing.

And it wasn’t just younger people taking part, older people and families also participated.

A grandfather says how moved he was to see such a big demonstration in Bern #ClimateStrikeExternal link https://t.co/Z1UWceguGEExternal link pic.twitter.com/JVM2PcYhR6External link

— swissinfo.ch (@swissinfo_en) March 15, 2019External link

Speeches called on politicians from all parties to do more about climate change. “We are in a climate emergency,” said one speaker. Another said that strikers were driven by a mix of anger and hope – and would keep going “until something changed”.

This can start with changing your own behaviour, these demonstrators said.

Demonstrators in Bern on what people can do for the environment #ClimateStrikeExternal link https://t.co/Z1UWceguGEExternal link pic.twitter.com/xlie90b8iKExternal link

— swissinfo.ch (@swissinfo_en) March 15, 2019External link