It was a dramatic scene on Market Street at mid day with young people chanting: "Tell me what democracy looks like. This is what democracy looks like."
Parents said they pull their kids out of school for a lesson in real life.
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Conchita Lozano brought her daughter and several of her friends to the March saying "My children had their friends over last night and made signs and generated interest and we came out."
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"It's very urgent because things are dying, the coral reefs are bleaching, the world is not the way it used to be. It's depressing actually. The generations before us got to have such a beautiful world and we have to fix it," said 13-year-old Galicia Lozano.
This youth versus Apocalypse march wound past House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein's office, black rock, Bank of America, Amazon Go and PG&E before ending up at Justin Herman Plaza.
Police stopped traffic along the way and made some cars back up as other cars idled to make way for the protesters.
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Uber driver Feti Yildiz was caught up in it.
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"If I knew I wouldn't be here. I'd be somewhere else. But here we are. It's been a long time," he said.
San Franciscan Kristen Rothballer said she was blown away by all the youthful energy.
"I think youth are afraid for their future and the fact they've acted to walk out of school on behalf of the planet and their future is a beautiful thing," she said.
"I feel like I'm powerful joining in this," said fifth grader Laurel Reader of Orinda.