Protest Culture: Do Demonstrations Still Work?
Photo Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
The average person has likely become desensitised to the word ‘protest’. Historically, protests were considered manifestations of freedom and power, capable of pressuring even the highest of government bodies to enact change: we need only think of the enfranchisement of women brought on by the hard-fought suffrage movement, or the catalysation of India’s decolonisation process fostered by Gandhi's Salt March. At the bare minimum, a protest signalled the passion and fury of the people; for theorists like Arendt, they served as a pillar of democracy and a people’s desire to participate in it.
However, to say that this particular type of protest, where masses gather to march for change, maintains its impact in our modern political climate would be to perpetuate a false narrative. Mass demonstrations do not carry the same weight on their targets as they have done in history, with increased political apathy and a crackdown on demonstration rights playing a role in this. Nonetheless, protests continue to shape our understanding and perception of politics; rather than losing their influence entirely, they now encompass a wide range of actions that focus on building pressure and enabling dialogue, rather than forcing a direct outcome.
At their core, protests are methods of objecting to certain laws, policies or actions undertaken by the target body. Needless to say, forms of protest vary extraordinarily, often depending on the circumstances that triggered them. In response to Israel’s brutal bombardment of Gaza, peaceful protests were organised across the world, with weekly marches calling for a ceasefire in support of Palestine. Simultaneously, mass boycotts of brands such as McDonalds and Disney put pressure on companies to divest from Israel. In this manner, multiple forms of protest can be combined to push for a particular outcome; with the rise of social media and our reliance on it for news, even spreading awareness on online platforms can be considered a method of protest for those who cannot march in person. The Milk Tea Alliance relied on this form of protest, with youths across Taiwan, Hong Kong, Myanmar and Thailand uniting online to raise awareness of political issues within their respective countries. With more mediums through which political thought can be expressed, the shape and form of demonstrations has changed dramatically.
Yet, despite an increase in the means of protest, the extent to which they can be considered a ‘success’ remains up to discussion. Protests, regardless of their form, are no longer able to provoke direct institutional change. Israel continues its violence against Palestine, refusing to acknowledge the criticism it faces. The Milk Tea Alliance has mostly faded from the minds of the general public without achieving substantial political reform. No matter how controversial an action Just Stop Oil takes, little discussion has occurred regarding the ever-growing issue of climate change. So what exactly is stopping their success?
The failure of the modern protest lies in a myriad of factors. Arguably, the increased vigilance of governments across the world against mass demonstrations has directly dampened their success. The passing of the 2023 Public Order Bill severely limited the disruptive abilities of protests - for better or worse, given that the disruption caused by a protest is often what forces media coverage on the issue. The United Kingdom is not alone in its crackdown on protests; only last week, demonstrators calling for the release of Imran Khan were murdered by police during their marches in Pakistan. The tightening of laws, in combination with the fear-mongering of politicians - be it Suella Braverman calling the Palestine protests ‘hate marches’, or the ridiculous comparison of the Black Lives Matter movements to far-right riots by Nigel Farage - has led to a growing distrust of protests among the general public. But legal restrictions and politicians are not solely to blame, as many historic demonstrations rest on their fight against unfair laws. Perhaps it is the rise in political cynicism more generally; in the United Kingdom, for example, a record 45% of citizens “almost never” trust governments to put the nation’s interests first, and 40% of citizens do not even exercise their right to vote, let alone to protest. Thus, protesters continue to represent a small minority of the population, and without proper leveraging of resources, it is next to impossible to make substantial change
Nonetheless, activists should not give up hope. Though protests are unlikely to bring about direct change, they continue to pave the way for dialogue and compromise, putting pressure on institutions that have done wrong and fostering communication in our democracies. In a climate of increased isolationism and political censorship, this makes them as important as ever.