Protests are a fundamental part of democracy, rooted deep at its core. Defined by some as “democracy in motion”, they represent a strong political tool, a potential area of active collaboration between citizens and governments.
Although sometimes seen as a threat to state positioning, protests more regularly constitute a vital democratic tradition enriching democratic societies by upholding the rights to freedom of expression and participation, and offering a mechanism for communication between civil society and its elected representatives. Even when protests are organized against a sitting government, they are an opportunity to manifest peaceful assemblies where people can express their opinions. Unfortunately, this does not always happen, and protests, in practise can either escalate beyond peaceful demonstration, or be disallowed by states, heightening tension and increasing the likelihood of violence.
Communication between government and its citizens is essential, not only for building trust in public institutions, but also to make citizens seen through a process of policymaking that takes into consideration their needs, opinions and concerns.
Many fundamental advancements have been achieved through protest and demonstrations, including the women’s rights movement, the Civil Rights Movement or the Indian Independence Movement. As part of wider political pressure and lobbying, protests and demonstrations are an essential means for transformation in several ways: political, social and more.
In this article, we will discuss about how important it is to grant the right to peaceful protests and gatherings, what can be achieved through them, and we will go more in depth using some impactful case studies from recent history.
Understanding Peaceful Demonstrations
The right to peaceful protests and gatherings is protected by several international conventions, including, the European Convention on Human Rights (1950) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) as covered by article 20, which states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association”. In addition to that, article 19 is related to freedom of opinion and expression, while article 10 and 11, are focused on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
Within these constitutional contexts, the right to peaceful assembly and protest is most often interlinked with rights to freedom of expression and opinion. Even the definition of rights allows that, by protesting, one is indeed expressing personal opinions and beliefs. Without one right, the others cannot be fully protected.
Protests are widely recognized as a form of free expression, without which, the dissemination of ideas, values, and concerns would be impossible; consequently, public participation in mass gatherings would not be fully informed
It is a fundamental responsibility of a democratically elected state to ensure citizens a form of personal expression and protect their rights, regardless of how whether or not they’re exercised to support the state, as described in detail by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966), article 21.
To summarize, States should:
- not block or restrict peaceful protests
- facilitate management of the protest
- protect protestants during the assembly and in the digital sphere
The definition of “peaceful” has proven challenging to define within the context of public with many disagreeing on what peaceful assembly should look like. It is indeed stated that the right to demonstrate may legally be limited whenever “national security, public safety or public order” can be afflicted. However, a more defined legal framework based on evidence and conventions to understand better what protective practises need to be undertaken during protests to allow for their legal protection, and what law enforcement agencies can do facilitate them.
Modern versions of social protest now exist online, changing the landscape of civil society action and broadening spaces for public interaction and representation.
A recent examples include the BLM social media movement and the campaign carried out on Instagram for Palestine; “All Eyes On Rafah” is an illustration, shared on Instagram’s stories, which was used about 47 million times. Some think that the only use of social media is not enough, however, according to some experts, social media platforms can offer a space to show solidarity in relating to issues happening around us in real time.
Case Studies: Protests Around the World
Europe: Greta Thunberg’s Global Movement
Greta Thunberg has been criticized by some for her approach and presentation, but many consider her a role model and great example for how a small action can lead to something bigger.
Climate activist since she was 15 years old, Greta managed to bring together millions of students to protest against hollow promises of governors on the emergency of climate change and climate crisis through the “Fridays for Future” movement. This global movement is the perfect example of how huge masses of people get together to bring at the forefront of the whole world issues that are usually looked upon; this is the essence of peaceful protests, they are a way for ordinary people to have their voices heard. Greta Thunberg’s passionate discourse motivated 7.6 million protesters around 185 countries. She offered a place for everyone interested in raising public awareness about the climate emergency, making use of the power of peaceful protest as a tool to make a positive change.
Iran: Fight to Freedom
Started at the end of last year, on December 28th 2025, protests in Iran have been at the centre of attention all over world’s media. Thousands of protesters joined demonstrations brought up by the so-called “bazari”, meaning Tehran’s shopkeepers.
From frustrations about a crumbling economy to a strong demand for change in terms of civil rights and freedoms, the demonstrations have spread all over the country.
The nature of these protests needs to be underlined because of two main issues: the access to the right of peaceful demonstrations and the measures which the government can apply to limit it.
Violence towards protesters has been confirmed by many human rights organisations: Amnesty International stated that Iranian Security Forces have “repeatedly fired rifles and shotguns loaded with metal pellets at protesters, frequently targeting their heads and torsos”; Iran Human Rights tried to estimate the number of people involved in the protests, with tens of thousands protesters arrested, thousands dead. However, it is impossible to confirm all these numbers amid the internet crackdown imposed by the government.
This measure, often adopted by a government which feels threatened by protests, or unable to engage in meaningful discourse with its populus, was started from January 8th, and now is still ongoing, with heavy limitations to internet access. However, that did not stop the movement started by Iranians, whose requests inspired thousands of people all over the world.
We still don’t know where and how these protests will end, but this case study is useful to understand the impact of a protest that became a worldwide phenomenon, even when attempts were made to minimise it.
Final Thoughts
The purpose of this article was to give a general overview around the right to protest, expression and freedom. We discussed about how powerful protests are a mirror where democratic principles are reflected, shaping the world to become a fairer, freer and more peaceful place.
Peaceful demonstrations offer regular citizens a way to be active actors of change, to have their voice heard; this is why protests are an incredibly effective tool for triggering metamorphosis in a society, bringing everyone’s attention to an issue.
From real case studies around the world, there is a lot that can be learned, from when a small protest can lead to a worldwide movement to a strong wave of demonstrations which inspired impressive changes.
The right everyone to freely demonstrate, to express ourselves, is a fundamental human right that must be granted everywhere to everyone. International Conventions must be put in practice from States and respected by the,, as the right of freedom must be a tool for constructing a strong, active society, informed and involved in the community.