Minnesota Climate Strikers Rally At Capitol

St. Paul (WCCO/AP) -- Multiple nonprofits and youth organizations led a climate strike and march at Minnesota's Capitol Friday. 

Thousands of people started with a rally at Western Sculpture Park in St. Paul before marching to to the steps of the Capitol. Organizers called on government officials to take action to fight climate change. 

Augsburg University student Elan Quezada, a campus organizer for the worldwide Youth Climate Strike, attended the rally. 

"We want and we acknowledge that this is our fight - this will be our burden to carry," Quezada said. 

The marchers joined students across throughout the world in organizing for action on climate change. The rally in St. Paul is one of more than 3,000 planned in 120 countries. 

The inspiration for the climate strike movement comes from 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who has lobbied in multiple countries for action on climate change. 

Earlier in the day, students at Augsburg University in Minneapolis gathered for their own rally. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey addressed the students, highlighting the city's renewable energy goals.

"It's not like at some point in our lives we will be seeing the impacts of climate change," Frey said at the rally. "We're going to be seeing the impacts today, tomorrow, the week after and it's going to continue to get worse.

Other climate events in Minnesota include gatherings in Duluth, Bemidji and a kids event in Minneapolis.

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)