Teenage activist Greta Thunberg has hit back at critics including US President Donald Trump, saying their mockery shows her message has become "too loud to handle".
The 16-year-old Swede spoke shortly before a climate march began in Montreal alongside aboriginal Canadians, who she invited to lead with her because "they are often the ones who are at the front line" of global warming.
Trump mocked Thunberg this week and Canadian MP Maxime Bernier called her alarmist and mentally unstable.
Greta Thunberg, 16-year-old Swedish environmental activist joins other climate activists during the global climate strike. Source: Getty Images North America
"I guess they must feel like their world view or their interests or whatever ... is threatened by us. We've become too loud for people to handle so they try to silence us," she told reporters on Friday.
"We should also take that as a compliment."
Climate strikes inspired by Thunberg started in Asia on Friday and continued in Europe.
Tens of thousands of students kicked things off in New Zealand, and Thunberg tweeted images from marches held in dozens of cities around the world.
"The strikes have been very successful today," she said.
"It is very moving to see everyone, everyone who is so passionate."
She met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau privately for about 15 minutes.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg in Montreal. Source: The Canadian Press
Trudeau, who faces an election next month, is promising more climate action.
"In my wonderful conversation with Greta this morning, we talked directly about the need to do more, much more," he told reporters.
"I thanked her for the amount of people that her call to action has mobilised," he said, adding that he promised to plant two billion trees if re-elected.
