'They have to pay attention' Scouse kids speak out at Global Climate Strike

Hundreds of adults and children have gathered at St George's Hall today as part of the Global Climate Strike.

Protesters of all ages, including pupils from Merseyside schools, have taken the day off to join Swedish activist, Greta Thunberg, who has been on a school strike since last year.

Strikers are demanding the end of burning fossil fuels.

Protesters gathered outside St George's Hall this afternoon in support of schoolchildren who are striking against climate change (Andy Teebay)

Speaking at the strike, one child from Liverpool, said: "We're the future kids, and we need to stop climate [change]. We need to stop plastic pollution, we need to make a change.

"Yeah it's school, it's important, but our world is well more important, we need to do something about it.

"I went to school for like the first hour to do some lessons and then me mum picked me up and they were very supportive [the teachers], they were like 'yeah go on', but they gave me an unauthorised absence. But they were supportive."

Watch the video above to see what Scouse kids had to say about climate change as they joined the Global Climate Strike

Protesters gathered outside St George's Hall this afternoon in support of schoolchildren who are striking against climate change (Andy Teebay)

Also at today's strike a teenager make a speech on the steps of St George's hall.

The teenager speaker said: "Rich imperialist countries like Britain are driving environmental destruction and global warming as they exploit countries around the world.

"They plunder their natural resources, their oil, their minerals, their land.

"They bribe a small layer in these poorer countries to hand over resources at rock bottom prices.

"This is a new form of colonialism."

This morning as staff joined the climate protest.

Signs were placed in the shop's window front informing customers its doors would remain closed until 1pm.

For the latest news and breaking news visit http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/.

Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you.

A young protester holding up a sign at the Global Climate strike this afternoon (Andrew Teebay/Liverpool Echo)

Follow us on Twitter @LivECHONews - the official Liverpool ECHO Twitter account - real news in real time.

We're also on Facebook/theliverpoolecho - your must-see news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day from the Liverpool ECHO.

Amazon Alexa

You can now tune in to the Liverpool Echo's early-morning news headlines on the Amazon Echo and other Alexa-enabled devices.

Click on  this link  and then open up the Echo's briefing service in the Amazon Alexa app.