Protest Tactics Quiz

Quiz Questions

• 1.
  What is an effective way of protesting in closed protest spaces or repressive legal environments where fundamental freedoms are severely restricted?

  • A.
    Grassroots movements can lobby local authorities to address specific concerns. These movements can receive support from civil society organisations and concerned individuals who spread their messages and stories on social media and amongst their networks.
  • B.
    When protests are banned, it may be effective to turn everyday life into a protest. Spontaneous performances of everyday acts can catch people’s attention and express dissent. For example, when New York City authorities started re-enforcing a 1920s anti-cabaret law to close live music venues in the 1990s, dance flash mobs were organised in protest
  • C.
    Mass movements can be effective, despite being deemed illegal by domestic laws based on sheer numbers. It is difficult to arrest all of the protesters in a mass movement. This means that a unifying issue should be chosen to ensure that as many people as possible join the protest.
  • D.
    All of the above
• 2.
  Online spaces and technologies can be used to protest in the wake of global restrictions on civic space. True or False?

  • A.
    True
  • B.
    False
• 3.
  In terms of international law and standards, do protesters require “permission” to exercise any fundamental rights, including the right to protest?

  • A.
    Yes
  • B.
    No
• 4.
  Protesters should always ensure that communications within their protest movement and with partners movements or organisations is done using fully end-to-end encrypted methods of communication.

  • A.
    Yes
  • B.
    No
• 5.
  Why is it important to establish a set of core minimum standards within a protest movement?

  • A.
    Everyone should have the same political opinions 
  • B.
    There should be an agreed standard of behaviour amongst members
  • C.
    A minimum standard manages expectations
• 6.
  What are marshals or safety staff?

  • A.
    A division of police, tasked with the surveillance of protest movements
  • B.
    Specially designated staff within a protest movement or hired by a protest movement to ensure safety during a protest
• 7.
  The inequalities that are pervasive within society in general are present in protest movements too. This means that people who are vulnerable or marginalised generally face struggles as members of protest movements and when trying to communicate a protest movement’s message. Which two examples below outline attempts to address this inequality?

  • A.
    In Chile, universities in rural areas that cater predominantly to Indigenous people faced similar funding struggles to universities in more privileged urban areas. The Chilean university movements collaborated to ensure that urban universities furthered the cause of rural universities during their mass protests, without the Indigenous protesters having to put themselves at unnecessary risk.
  • B.
    During the Standing Rock protests in North Dakota, USA in 2016-2017, international media attention and support from prominent non-indigenous figures meant that vulnerable people were not targeted.
  • C.
    Members of protest movements may face sexual harassment within a movement. It is important to ensure that a sexual harassment policy forms part of the core minimum standards of a protest movement.
• 8.
  Police brutality can affect members of protest movements. Police officers are often not properly trained to deal with large crowds or are not taught the need to respect the fundamental rights and bodily integrity of those participating in protests. Violent reactions to protests from the police lead to injuries amongst protesters and often the escalation of violence as protesters act to defend themselves. What is needed to to curtail police brutality?

  • A.
    Advocacy and human rights-based training for police officers to ensure that human rights are protected and promoted during protests.
  • B.
    Humanisation, in certain contexts, recognising that police officers are just people who have been given a job
  • C.
    Human shields. Depending on the context, the police may be less likely to use violence against prominent people, out of fear of reprisals. For instance, journalists, celebrities and high-ranking officials are likely to be treated with caution because of the influence they possess. Protesters should attempt to form good relations with these people so that they will assist in preventing brutality and arrest.
  • D.
    Recording the police
  • E.
    All of the above
• 9.
  Counter movements can delegitimise the original protest movement, especially if the two movements clash with one another. True or False?

  • A.
    True
  • B.
    False
• 10.
  Is it important to have a leadership contingency plan? Yes or no?

  • A.
    Yes
  • B.
    No

Quiz Outcomes

• 1.
  For more information:

  Check out the new Protest Resilience Toolkit by CIVICUS
• 2.
  For more information:

  Check out the new Protest Resilience Toolkit by CIVICUS
• 3.
  For more information:

  Check out the new Protest Resilience Toolkit by CIVICUS