Here’s footage of the protest in Dunedin, on New Zealand’s south island:
Earlier, the partner of the prime minister, Jacinda Arden, Clarke Gayford, told students to “get bloody stuck in ... Wear any punishment like a badge of honour.”
Reminder that if you’re at a protest, you can share your thoughts, photos and videos with the Guardian’s worldwide social team. You can be featured on the Guardian’s Instagram stories, or communicate via Whatsapp if you add the contact +44 (0)7495 849 246. Further rules here – where you can also write a message on our online form. If you’re under 16 you’ll need to get your parents’ permission.
James Shaw, the joint leader of the New Zealand Greens who was assaulted yesterday on his way to parliament, has come out in support for the strikers, still sporting a black eye.
Shaw is also New Zealand’s climate change minister. He has thanked a pair of bystanders who came to his help, and says, “I’m OK. I’m back at work and I’m very much looking forward to today’s school strike for climate.”
The protests have already begun in Wellington, New Zealand. The crowd is big, the streets are blocked and we’ve already seen a contender for best sign.
Australia’s education minister, Dan Tehan, has told striking students they should protest “after school”.
“[For] other action on issues that they think is important, they should do after school or on weekends,” he just told media in Melbourne. “No one is going to stop them from doing that. What our message is loud and clear today to all students, ‘be in school, join the National Action Day Against Bullying’.”
A reporter asks: “Can’t they do both? Is one afternoon off really going to harm their education?”
Tehan: “Students leaving school during school hours to protest is not something that we should encourage. Especially when they are being encouraged to do so by green political activists. They should be encouraging students to stay at school.”
I’ll be here covering the strikes for the Australian and Asian timezones – from Geelong to Jakarta, however long it takes. New Zealand has already started.
I’ll be keeping you updated on the news, the reaction and, as always, the best signs from each protest. If you’re a striking student, you can also share your stories and videos with the Guardian’s worldwide social team. Details and rules here.
There’s a lot to explain and a lot going on. Here, we have a comprehensive hide to Australia’s strikes. Here’s some background on the global effort - inspired by 16-year-old Greta Thunberg.
The key thing to remember is that, somewhere in the world, at some kind of scale, this sort of thing happens every Friday. Today it’s just going to be happening everywhere at once.
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