Thousands of environmental activists marched in the U.S. capital Saturday to try to draw support for climate-related causes.
The People’s Climate March was meant to coincide with President Donald Trump’s 100th day in office, according to its organizers, who have condemned what they see as the administration’s lack of concern for environmental issues.
“The Trump administration’s policies are a catastrophe for our climate and communities, especially low-income and communities of color, who are on the front lines of this crisis,” the People’s Climate Movement, a collection of about 50 liberal activist groups, said in a statement.
Protesters marched from the Capitol to the White House, where they held a rally. Dozens of “sister” marches were expected in cities across the country.
The group of partner organizations making up the event’s steering committee consisted mainly of environmental groups, but also included several trade unions, anti-war and minority advocacy groups, like the NAACP.
The presence of so many non-climate-related sponsoring organizations was reflected in the group’s “platform,” which lists issues the activists find important but don’t feel are being adequately addressed by the Trump administration.
The platform blends the problems organizers say are created by climate change with economic and social justice issues, and it calls for such changes as increasing the national minimum wage to $15 an hour and fighting “the corporate trade-induced global race to the bottom.”
“This is a moment to bring the range of progressive social change movements together,” the group says on its website.
A similar event last weekend saw thousands of activists show up for the March for Science to protest what they said were denials of scientific truths by the Trump administration.
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