Right to protest – Amnesty International

Why is protest important?

One action can spark a movement. If we work together, we can create a better world where everyone is equal and free from inequalities. 

Protest has played a vital role in making sure our human rights are acknowledged by institutions with power. From the Salt March against British colonial rule in India in 1930 to the decades of Pride marches that followed the Stonewall Riots in 1969, to the Black Lives Matter protests in recent years, people power is constantly shaping our world. There are countless examples when people came together and made history and delivered us the rights and liberties we enjoy today. 

Driven by creativity and a sense of shared humanity, protest takes a multitude of forms online and offline, from strikes, marches and vigils to sit-ins and acts of civil disobedience.

These strategies and tactics can be used to pave the way for progress in areas that impact our everyday lives, including better governance, safer working conditions, and combating issues like racism, discrimination and environmental destruction. 

Peaceful protests

People have a right to protest peacefully, and states have a duty to respect, facilitate and protect this right. This means they shouldn’t interfere with protests, unless there is a legitimate threat to the safety and rights of others.

If police try to stop or limit a protest, that intervention must be proportionate and necessary, or in other words, must do more good than harm and must be the least rights restricting option. 

Authorities should instead find ways to make these spaces safer, by communicating with those organizing the protest and providing services like traffic management and access to first-aid services. 

However, in many cases, intervention from state authorities is what causes otherwise peaceful disruptions to become dangerous and violent.