Radical Youth (Aotearoa New Zealand)
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Radical Youth was an autonomous group of young people who formed in early 2005 to tackle issues that affect the youth of their country of New Zealand/Aotearoa. The group defines itself as anti-authoritarian and anti-capitalist, and since its inception has worked on issues including; internet censorship in schools, the G8, child poverty, climate change and ending youth pay rates. They have organised a Carnival Against Capitalism in solidarity with the mass protests in Gleneagles against the G8 in July 2005. Later in August, Radical Youth launched their campaign against youth rates with a rally at Aotea Square and a picket outside the central McDonald's. Since then Radical Youth have supported the Supersizemypay.com campaign for secure hours, an end to youth wages and raising the minimum wage to $12/h. In March 2006 the group came to national prominence with a high school walkout to call for the abolition youth rates. The event, which attracted up to 1000 school students, was labelled as riotous and gathered much media attention, due in part to the young age of the organisers. On May Day, Radical Youth organised a rally and march to continue young workers' struggle for equal pay. Radical Youth recently organised a critical mass in Auckland's CBD on International Day of Direct Action against Climate Change and the G8. They dropped banners in support of the Save Happy Valley Campaign to stop Solid Energy's coal mine.
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