Huge climate strike brings Melbourne’s CBD to a standstill

Image: Quinn Rooney

Thousands of people have gathered at Treasury Gardens for today’s climate strike.

The organisers of the rally say there are 100,000 people at the Melbourne protest, which is making its way through the city.

The rally is part of global student-led strikes across the world.

In Victoria, School Strike 4 Climate rallies are also underway Bairnsdale, Ballarat, Bright, Geelong, Mildura, Sale, Shepparton and Warrnambool.

OMG the #ClimateStrike is SO big in Melbourne. Crowd estimates coming in at 100k! pic.twitter.com/UpnQHVoB2r

— School Strike 4 Climate (@StrikeClimate) September 20, 2019

3AW State Political Reporter James Talia said the crowds are huge.

“They go down Collins Street, as far as I can see from here, down to Exhibition Street, and they go up Spring Street to the Windsor Hotel, and down Spring Street to Flinders Street, and into Treasury Gardens,” he told 3AW’s Tom Elliott.

“They were meant to be marching, their marching skills, I’ve got to say, aren’t as good as the union movement!”

He said the protest is peaceful.

“It’s good natured, unless you’re the Prime Minister.

“They’re certainly making their point.”

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Tram services are disrupted due to the protest. Yarra Trams advises customers to check its website, tramTRACKER app or Twitter for service updates.

Road closures are in place for today’s #ClimateStrike protest, affecting Flinders, Collins, Spring, Russell and Exhibition streets. Please follow the direction of @VictoriaPolice and avoid the east end of the CBD, if possible. Follow @yarratrams for service updates. #victraffic pic.twitter.com/t9VxrTSfe6

— VicTraffic (@VicTraffic) September 20, 2019