Types of Protest
Protest Vs Riot
The Difference Is Important
In our current political climate, it is becoming increasingly important to understand the difference between a riot and a protest, as both terms are being thrown around in news articles and broadcasts so here I explain the difference and provide examples.
A Protest:
According to Dictionary.com, a protest is “an expression or declaration of objection, disapproval, or dissent, often in opposition to something a person is powerless to prevent or avoid”. A protest is peaceful, usually characterized by marching and chanting.
A Riot:
Dictionary.com defines a riot as “a noisy, violent public disorder caused by a group or crowd of persons, as by a crowd protesting against another group, a government policy, etc., in the streets.” The legal definition is “a disturbance of the public peace by three or more persons acting together in a disrupting and tumultuous manner in carrying out their private purposes.” Riots involve violence or other illegal acts such as looting, vandalism, and destruction of property.
The difference is violence and legality. There is a legal definition for a riot, while there is none for a protest. A riot is a crime. A protest is a right. This means you can not legally be arrested at a peaceful protest.
It's also a square-rectangle situation. A riot is always a protest. A protest is not always a riot. Calling a protest a riot when there is no violence or property damage is wrong.
Types of Protest
March
A march is a form of protest where people show their disapproval of something by physically marching from one place to another, usually with signs, chants, and a specific message goal.
Famous Example: March on Washington
Walkout
A form of protest characterized by an organized literal walking out of a location, such as a school or a job to show disapproval.
Sit In
An act of civil disobedience where a group of people enter a space and refuse to leave, ensuring the prevention of normal activities until their point gets across or there is a change.
Famous Example: Greensboro Lunch Counter Sit-Ins
Vigil
A peaceful and stationary form of protest in which a group of people stays awake at night to protest something or raise awareness. Candle lit vigils are popular and they are often a mourning period as well, used to mourn the loss of someone and raise awareness about the issue that took their life, be it disease or violence.
Boycott
A boycott is a refusal to purchase or utilize certain things or services as a form of punishment or protest.
Famous Example: Birmingham Bus Boycott
Picket
A picket is worker or group of workers protesting outside of their place of work to prevent other workers from going in, similar to a strike.
Strike
A strike is a group of workers protesting either their working conditions, management decisions, or other employer issues by refusing to work. It can be accompanied by a picket.
Hunger Strike
Usually a last resort, a hunger strike is when a protester refuses food for a large amount of time, often to spread awareness or gain sympathizers.
Riot
While different from a protest, it is still a form of protest. It is characterized by violence and is a crime, but historically speaking, riots have proven to be effective.
What the First?!
Copyright © 2022 What the First?! - All Rights Reserved.
Powered by GoDaddy
This website uses cookies.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.