Australian school students walking out of the classroom tomorrow and Friday to call for peace in Gaza should be encouraged to exercise their democratic right to protest, the Greens say.
With the number of people killed in Gaza now over 13,000, including 5,500 children, thousands of students will strike tomorrow in Melbourne, and in Sydney and Wollongong on Friday, to demand Labor join growing international calls for an end to the violence.
As stated by Australian Greens spokesperson on Education (Primary & Secondary), Senator Penny Allman-Payne:
“Australian school students are seeing kids their own age pulled from the rubble of Gaza. Is it any wonder that they want the government to do something about this horror?
“Telling kids to stay in the classroom while their political leaders endorse Israel’s massacre of Palestinians is completely out-of-touch with the public mood and ignorant of how informed students are.
“If the government really wants kids to stay in the classroom, they should simply demand a permanent ceasefire, like the majority of Australians are calling for.
“I urge students to ignore condescending calls from Labor and the Liberals to turn a blind eye to the brutality in Gaza and exercise their right to engage in peaceful protest.
“Solidarity with striking students tomorrow and Friday, and with everyone engaged in resistance to Israel’s war on the people of Gaza.”
As stated by Victorian Greens education spokesperson, Aiv Puglielli MLC:
“Every day young people are watching this humanitarian catastrophe unfold on their phones.
“They are seeing horrific violence committed against Palestinians by the state of Israel as the death toll in Gaza rises above 13,000.
“They are also seeing their governments refuse to act, and ignore the millions of people around the world calling for peace.
“I’ve spent recent Sundays marching alongside tens of thousands of people in Melbourne, in what have become the largest peace demonstrations in Australia since the Iraq war.
“The Greens back every student planning to strike tomorrow and use their voices to call for an immediate ceasefire.”
