Montreal students block schools ahead of climate protest

Montreal students participating in the global climate strike Friday formed human chains around some schools, disrupting morning classes.

TheCommission Scolaire de Montral(CDSM), the province's largest school board, said all classes at six high schools were cancelled for the morning.

Student strikes for stronger climate commitments have been gaining momentum in recent months and March 15 is expected to be the largest yet. Tens of thousands of students in more than 100 countries are expected to participate.

"I think it's something every citizen needs to do," student TashaOestO'Leary said.

More than 110,000 Quebec university students voted to strike Friday afternoon. Some high schools also voted tostrike.

Students at cole Joseph-Franois Perreault, a high school in the Saint-Michel neighbourhood, blocked access to the school this morning.More than 700 studentsvoted to strike on Tuesday.

The CDSM said classes were cancelled atJoseph-Franois-Perrault as well asAcadmie De Roberval, Georges-Vanier, Sophie-Barat,Pre-MarquetteandRobert-Gravel high schools.

Alain Perron, a spokesperson for theschool board, said they planned to reopen classes thisafternoon.

Both the English Montreal School Board and the FrenchCommission scolaire de Montral have sent letters to parents sayingstudents need parental permission if they want to go to the demonstrations.

"We need parental consent, and if that's not there, it will be counted as absenteeism," said EMSB spokespersonMike Cohen.

Not all schools in Montreal, however, require parental approval for a student to attend the strike.

Despite being a part of the EMSB, the bilingual artsschool FACE is letting its studentsjoin the protest if they want to.

"If we don't do something right now, we're not going to have a future, we need to go to those protests and stand up for our future," said FACE studentAzure Dumas-Pilon.

The protest beginsat the George-tienne Cartier Monument in Mount Royal ParkFriday afternoon.