BRUSSELS — Thousands of students skipped school for the third week in a row and more than 30,000 swamped the centre of Brussels to demand better protection of the world’s climate.

What started out as a march of a few thousand high school student swelled to a vocal movement that Thursday also included many that skipped courses at university. Brussels police estimated the crowds at 32,000, who braved the cold and snowy conditions.

Another climate march — adults included — is set for Sunday. It drew some 70,000 last month.

“The planet can do without us, but we cannot do without the planet,” was one of the many signs carried around.

The Associated Press