Students and supporters plan climate protests in multiple New Zealand cities

Students, parents, and supporters are set to protest in several cities on Friday as part of the School Strike 4 Climate. They are calling for climate justice, the abolition of the Fast-Track Bill, and support for Palestinians in Gaza. Protests will occur in Auckland, Dunedin, New Plymouth, Whanganui, and Christchurch, while Wellington's event was canceled. Associate Education Minister David Seymour stated that students attending the protests should be marked as "unjustifiably absent." He emphasized that education is crucial for addressing climate change and suggested protests would be more impactful if held during weekends or school holidays. Seymour recently announced a crackdown on truancy, including potential prosecution of parents after 15 days of absences. He criticized the previous government's stance on school protests and stated that schools should not allow teacher-only days during the term.