Rather than blaming protestors for unrest, we need to start blaming anti-protest laws and how political apathy is silencing democratic dissent. These laws regulate protests; they’re criminalizing them and deterring people from speaking out even when their rights are on the line.
When the American government passes legislation that labels peaceful protesting as a threat, they shift attention away from the grievances being voiced and instead stop people from speaking up. Just look at what’s happening with the Trump administration; they keep deporting legal immigrants because of their peaceful pro-Palestinian protests.
Fewer citizens are engaging in civic discourse or holding their leaders accountable, and those in power face less resistance to passing restrictive legislation. Protesting is needed in a functioning democracy and should be recognized as a vital expression of public will.
If we truly value freedom as a whole, why are we restricting protests? We must recognize that protest is not the problem; it is the symptom of deeper issues. Blaming protesters only masks the truth: the actual danger is in the laws and administration that try to silence them.
We think protesting “doesn’t affect us,” but it does; it affects us all. Protesting is a cornerstone of democracy, not a threat to it. Looking back at history, protesting is how we’ve historically achieved everything from civil rights to labor protection. When the right to protest is taken away, so is our ability to demand change.
Democracy doesn’t just die with a bang, it dies silently. And right now, many of us are sinking into silence and choosing not to speak.
