Thousands skip school in Belgium for fourth-straight week to attend climate march

More than 10,000 students in Belgium skipped school Thursday for the fourth-straight week to attend a climate change march.

Police told The Associated Press the march in Brussels had more than 12,500 students in attendance.

{mosads}The monthlong streak of marches have been done in an attempt to raise awareness of global climate change and pressure elected officials to take action as Belgium and European Union elections draw near.

“They left us a planet in a bad shape so it is our job to change that,” 17-year-old student Manon Wilmart told the AP. “But we can do it. We are younger and we know that we can do it. We are in the mood to change the climate, to change everything.”

Students have held the marches in Brussels for four straight Thursdays, skipping school in the process.

The grass-roots movement is paired with a letter signed by roughly 3,400 academics writing their support of the youth marches.