Bloody Sunday in Selma was one of the most successful protests in history, where police disproportionately responded to nonviolent disobedience by beating marchers with batons. It was successful not in spite of police violence, but because of it. The hundreds of demonstrators grew to thousands as people came from all across the country in solidarity.
A new Trump era means a renaissance of civil disruption. The methods competent police have developed to blunt the effect of protest don’t project the strong-man image fascists crave. Protest will become much more dangerous again, but will also become much more effective.
But that did not kill the protesting, did it?
No, it invigorated it.
Bloody Sunday in Selma was one of the most successful protests in history, where police disproportionately responded to nonviolent disobedience by beating marchers with batons. It was successful not in spite of police violence, but because of it. The hundreds of demonstrators grew to thousands as people came from all across the country in solidarity.
A new Trump era means a renaissance of civil disruption. The methods competent police have developed to blunt the effect of protest don’t project the strong-man image fascists crave. Protest will become much more dangerous again, but will also become much more effective.