A branch of Greta Thunberg’s climate-change movement disbanded after declaring itself a ‘racist, white-dominated space’

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A branch of Greta Thunberg’s climate-change movement disbanded after declaring itself a ‘racist, white-dominated space’
Students protest in Auckland's Aotea Square over climate change on March 15, 2019 in Auckland, New Zealand.Phil Walter/Getty Images
  • A branch of Greta Thunberg's School Strike 4 Climate movement in New Zealand disbanded on Saturday.
  • The SS4C Auckland announced its disbandment on Facebook.
  • The group said its organizers had "avoided, ignored, and tokenized BIPOC voices and demands."

A branch of Greta Thunberg's School Strike 4 Climate movement in New Zealand disbanded on Saturday, saying it "has been a racist, white-dominated space."

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The SS4C Auckland announced its disbandment on Facebook. The group said its organizers had "avoided, ignored, and tokenized BIPOC voices and demands," especially those of Pacific Islanders and Māori individuals.

"Going forward, we will only be using our social media to uplift BIPOC-led climate justice spaces in Auckland," the organization said. "We apologize for the hurt, burnout, and trauma caused to many BIPOC individuals, including current and past members, as well as BIPOC-led groups. We also apologize for the further trauma caused by our slow action to take responsibility."

The School Strike 4 Climate organization held marches in the peak of school strike protests in 2019 in the wake of Greta Thunberg's rise to prominence skipping school to protest outside the Swedish parliament. Ssome demonstrations had up to 80,000 marchers, according to the Washington Post.

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