Hundreds of people braved the rain Monday morning to rally in front of the Federal Courthouse in Eugene. That’s where a historic climate trial was set to begin but it’s been put on hold by the U.S. Supreme Court.
The crowd heard from many of the 21 young people who are suing the government over climate change. Levi Draheim at 11, is the youngest plaintiff. He lives on a barrier island in Florida. He says, as a kid, he’s impatient for the trial to begin.
Draheim: “I have personally had to evacuate my home because of hurricanes. I’ve seen fish kills on my beach and I have seen changing weather and more and more hot days. So that’s why it is so important to move forward with this trial.”
Students from South Eugene High School left class to join the rally. Including 9th graders Timmy Parsons and Sofie Cadaret:
Parsons: “It’s like way more important that our first 3 periods to come out here and support climate change that will actually affect our future.”
Cadaret: “It just really concerns me what’s happening in our world right now and I would feel so bad if my children and my grandchildren, their future was in danger and I could have done something and I didn’t.”
The students walked to the Eugene Federal Courthouse from local high schools and the University of Oregon to support the kids suing the federal government over climate change.
Since the case was filed in US District Court in Eugene in 2015, the government has been trying to make it go away. Chief Justice John Roberts agreed to a government-requested stay earlier this month. The Justice Department claims the case will do irreparable harm to the administration. The youth say climate change endangers their constitutional rights to life, liberty and property.
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