Defending the Right to Protest

Abstract

Amid rising global protests, the right to protest is being increasingly objected to by business interests and curtailed by governments and legislatures. This article contends that confronted by this political reaction, the right to protest can only be defended through mass struggles rather than legal challenges – although these struggles may well include related legal battles. As history suggests, while legal cases may be important at times, ultimately their outcome will be determined by the sway and swell of political social and class forces.