Protest is…
This article was originally published in German. The English version is an automatic translation and may contain errors. The German original is authoritative.
By the end of last year, the German media landscape was in agreement: 2019 was the year of protest. The fact that the political catchphrase "climate hysteria" was chosen as the non-word of the year underscores the almost unrivalled focus of public interest on climate policy. Above all, the allegedly politically disengaged youth with Fridays for Future attracted global attention. But collective resistance also strengthened in other areas: whether German farmers protesting against the federal government's agricultural policy paralysed the capital with thousands of tractors, tireless Brexit opponents continued to voice their discontent on the streets, or over a million people in Hong Kong demonstrated against Chinese government interference – protests were ubiquitous last year. Since this trend seems to be continuing in 2020, it is worth asking what protest actually means. For behind this seemingly simple phrase lies more than mere resistance…
Protest first and foremost means the expression of numerous, different emotions. When people feel treated unjustly, oppressed, misunderstood or not heard at all, they react in different ways: some accept this unsatisfactory state and resign inwardly, whilst others feel the need to act and make themselves heard. A large proportion of farmers, for example, feel wrongly cast in the role of scapegoat by German society in the context of the climate debate. Despite their central function as food producers, they receive too little political attention and recognition nowadays. The farmers therefore call for protest to show society and politicians that they will not accept everything. Clearly, fear plays a central role in most protests. It is the fear of threats to one's own position, one's own rights, ultimately one's own existence, that forces those driven into a corner to act.
Protest is also a fundamental human right thanks to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression. We should all have the unimpeded opportunity to protest publicly. Unfortunately, the emphasis here is on "should", because even today human rights are disregarded by numerous governments. According to Amnesty International, in 2019 the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly were severely restricted in Iraq and Iran, China and India, amongst others. Against this backdrop, our right to peaceful protest should be regarded as a privilege – in light of the democracy-threatening tendencies of recent years (whether from the left or right), even as a duty of every responsible citizen. We may be making it too easy for ourselves if we limit political participation to going to the ballot box. This is evident, for example, in the fact that in recent years, despite warning scientific findings, long-overdue measures in the context of climate policy have been neglected. Only since the formation of resistance around Greta and the subsequent media coverage have adaptation attempts become apparent. Protest is indispensable not only as a trigger for political and social rethinking, but also as a means of expressing opinion in a healthy democracy.
Ultimately, protest is always an act of courage. For whoever publicly expresses their criticism through protest must expect to face headwind. Whoever not only seeks protest but even change must confront those who think differently, allow for different perspectives and make compromises. Of course, it is more convenient for the individual to rely carelessly on "those at the top" than to actively engage with ever new political questions and developments. Nevertheless, it is our duty to remain sensitive to threats rather than give up, look away, or expect improvement with almost blind faith. This is evidenced, for example, by the resurgence of antisemitism in Europe. As members of generations Y and Z, it is easy to fall into the belief that our Western society is now so enlightened and open-minded that racism or antisemitism does not occur. Yet 52% of all German Jews report having had antisemitic experiences in the past five years. Even 75 years after the Holocaust, we must therefore remind each other to raise our voices. Writer Elie Wiesel, who as a Holocaust survivor received the Nobel Peace Prize for his protest against violence and racism, stated: "There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest."
Protest is thus resistance, emotional expression, expression of opinion, exertion of influence and sometimes even our duty.