Tens of thousands expected in Glasgow on Saturday, as climate demonstrations go global

Over 200 simultaneous events are set to take place as part of a ‘Global Day of Action for Climate Justice’ this Saturday – with a march through Glasgow expected to attract tens of thousands of people.

The organisers of the events, the COP26 Coalition, are expecting people from across the world to attend the Glasgow demonstrations – which will see a march through the city and a number of rallies with high profile speakers such like Greta Thunberg, Mitzi Jonelle Tan, Vanessa Nakate and Darren McGarvey.

Other demonstrations will take place in every corner of the world – with people taking action on every continent. The marches take place as the first week of the global climate conference comes to a close, and will give people a chance to have their voices heard on what’s been happening at COP26.

Asad Rehman, a spokesperson for the COP Coalition, said:

“We are taking to the streets across the world this weekend to push governments from climate inaction to climate justice. This has been the least accessible climate summit ever – with so many people sidelined at the talks or not able to make it in the first place. Today those people are having their voices heard.

“The climate crisis has resulted from our broken, unequal societies and economies. We must transform our global economies into ones that protect both people and our planet instead of profit for a few.”

Brianna Fruean, a Samoan member of the Pacific Climate Warriors delegation and a speaker at the rally on Saturday, said:

“As someone from one of the regions most threatened by climate breakdown I know just how important this climate summit is, and how crucial it is that voices are heard on the streets as well as the corridors of power. For a decade now, the storms in the Pacific have been getting more violent, the droughts have been longer and the floods deeper. Fishers cannot feed their families. Family-owned shops that are flattened in a cyclone are rebuilt, only to be destroyed by rising water.

“That’s why I’m marching today – with people right across the world – because it can’t go on like this. We refuse to be just victims to this crisis. We are not drowning, we are fighting and on Saturday the world will hear us.”

ENDS

Details for interviews ahead of and on the day of the day of action:

To arrange interviews with spokespeople in advance or on the day please contact: [email protected] / +44 783 5929 778

Full details for Glasgow March:

11amKELVINGROVE PARK

Site Map

Media check-in at Media Tent

Spokespeople will be available to interview including

Asad Rehman, War On Want

Brianna Fruean, Pacific Climate Warriors

Mikaela Loach, Stop Cambo

Graham Campbell, Black Lives Matter Scotland 

11.30 – 12:30 GMT

Rally @ Fire Brigade Union Fire Truck, Kelvingrove Park 

Speakers include:

Jennifer McCarey, Unison

Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union

Yvonne Blake, MORE (Migrants Organising For Rights and Empowerment)

Cllr Graham Campbell, Black Lives Matter Scotland

Aamer Anwar

Benny Wenda, Free West Papua

Nnimmo Bassey, Health of Mother Earth Foundation, Nigeria

Stuart Graham, Unison

Lauren MacDonald, Stop Cambo

Tina Rothery, Anti-Fracking Lancashire Nanas

12:00 – 15:00 GMT

March from Kelvingrove Park to Glasgow Green 

Route Map 

Route: travel along Argyle Street, into St Vincent Street, onto George Street and down the High Street towards Glasgow Green. At Glasgow Green, the march will be met by speakers and music. The march will be colourful and loud, with music, dancing, performance and visual art from all over the world.

The Glasgow march comprises local community groups, indigenous leaders from the Amazon, national trade unions and internationally recognised climate and environment organisations. The back of the march will be a cycling bloc, with cyclists cycling in from across Scotland.

The march will be made up of a number of issue-based blocs to represent the multiple, interconnected crises we are facing which the climate crisis exacerbates.

13.30 GMT: Glasgow & Global Crowd Counts announced

15:00 – 16:15 GMT: Glasgow Green

Site Map

When arriving at Glasgow Green, please make yourself known at the Media Tent, stage left.

Spokespeople will be available to interview around the Media Tent

In the media tent there will be an audio splitter available.

There is a clear shot of the crowd and stage from Nelson’s Monument.

There is a small press pit centre stage, we will be controlling entry due to COVID restrictions.

There is no press riser at Glasgow Green.

We will have a single camera stream from which clips will be uploaded to a drive, the first of which can be expected by 4.30pm.

We will aim to upload all the speeches in full by 8.30pm, depending on cellular connection.

All photos and videos will be uploaded to this folder: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1cBsbxFQQYfgu_v0W59jUgvFC1XSPOel6?usp=sharing

Running Order

Hosted by Mitzi Jonelle Tan (Fridays for Future MAPA) and Darren McGarvey

Music from This Is It, Dizraeli and Ana Tijoux

Speakers include 

Minga Indigena

Tuntiak Katan, Global Alliance of Territorial Communities

Roz Foyer, Scottish Trade Union Congress

Rev. Dr. Neddy Astudillo

Paula Gioia, La Via Campesina

Gulf South for a Green New Deal

Red, Black and Green New Deal

Kathy Jetnil-Kijner

Vanessa Nakate, Fridays For Future Most Affected Peoples and Areas

The Pacific Climate Warriors

Asad Rehman, War on Want

Sonia Guajajara, Global Alliance of Territorial Communities

Worldwide, over 200 actions are confirmed. 

See the Global Day of Action Map 

UK

Across the UK, over 100 demonstrations are confirmed to begin at midday, including:

Belfast

Contact: [email protected]

Corn Market, Belfast

Birmingham 

Contact: [email protected]

Meet: Millennium point• Cardigan Street, Birmingham, B4 7AP, UK, Birmingham, United Kingdom B4 7AP.

Brighton 

Contact: [email protected]

Meet: The Level• Union Road, Brighton, United Kingdom BN1 4sd

Bristol

Contact: [email protected]

Meet: Bristol City Hall• College Green , Bristol, United Kingdom BS1 5TR

Cambridgeshire

Contact: [email protected]

Cardiff

Contact: [email protected]

Meet: City Hall, King Edward VII Ave, Cardiff CF10 3ND

London

Contact: [email protected]

Meet: Bank of England• Bank of England, Threadneedle Street, London, EC2R 8AH, London, United Kingdom EC2R 8AH

Manchester

Contact: [email protected]

Meet: St Peter’s Square Cross• St Peter’s Square M2 3AE, Manchester, United Kingdom M2 3AE

Newcastle

Contact: [email protected]

Meet: Civic Centre• Civic Centre, St Mary’s Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7PG, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom NE1 7PG

Nottingham 

Contact: [email protected]

Meet: Forest Recreation Ground• NG7 6HB, Nottingham, United Kingdom NG1 2LN

Sheffield

Contact: [email protected]

Devonshire Green• Devonshire Green, Devonshire St, S1 4GT, Sheffield, England, Sheffield, United Kingdom S1 4GT

Worldwide

Across the globe, over 100 more demonstrations are confirmed including Kenya, Korea, Turkey, France, Brazil, Australia and Canada.

Check out the Map for more, and contact [email protected] to be put in touch.