Thousands of Australians rallied across the country’s capital cities on Friday demanding greater government action on climate change as the bushfire crisis continues.
Sydney’s protest saw people outside Town Hall in the CBD, many holding signs that condemned Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
The protest was organised by University Students for Climate Justice and Extinction Rebellion, where participants were encouraged “to speak out in the city to stand in solidarity with affected communities but to also place the blame on the people that deserve it - Scott Morrison, Gladys Berijiklian and the rest of the politicians”.
Australia’s worst bushfire season to date began in October last year.
Twenty-seven people have been killed and thousands subjected to repeat evacuations as monster - and unpredictable - fires have scorched through more than 10.3 million hectares of land, an area the size of South Korea, since the start of October.
Australian authorities urged nearly a quarter of a million people to evacuate their homes on Friday and prepared military backup as soaring temperatures and erratic winds fanned bushfires across the east coast.
Temperatures were expected to shoot well above 40 degrees Celsius in several parts of the country, accompanied by high winds, threatening to fuel fires that have already left thousands of people homeless.
Protests In Melbourne, Canberra And Adelaide:
With files from Reuters.