Students from schools throughout the City of Philadelphia's public school district held a climate strike on Friday to fight for a more sustainable future in Philadelphia.
The rally, held at lunchtime in Center City's LOVE Park, was organized by Philly Student Climate Strike and reportedly included students from Central High School, Julia R. Masterman School, Science Leadership Academy, and Academy at Palumbo .
"We need a city that is not dependent on fossil fuel and natural gas polluters that are destructive to the communities around us," organizers said in a statement. "Many students have expressed a fear for the future, not because they do not know what’s coming next for them, but they do not know if they really will get to live one. With fossil fuel plants in the backyards of our communities and buildings that are filled with asbestos and lead, we are being handed a bruised community that harms our health and safety."
Organizers of the event said they are calling for "restricting and prohibiting the creation of new fossil fuel projects in black and brown communities, and holding fossil fuel companies accountable for their current carbon footprints."
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The organizers also said they wanted to call for "providing safe school buildings for students that do not have asbestos and lead, and have proper air conditioning, accessible entrances, and better emergency training for faculty and staff."
The protest comes on the heels of two schools closing this week after asbestos was found there.
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