Successful Protests Like No Kings Day Promote Political Change

It can sometimes be difficult to recognize the benefits of political protests, because policies and minds change so slowly. However, history has proven that protests do change systems. Civil rights legislation, environmental policies, labor protections, and voting rights expansions are all examples of policy changes that resulted from widespread protests. While the current administration tries to downplay the significance of millions of Americans who rally against anti-democratic and authoritarian policies by calling marches and protests “Hate America Rallies,” they are actually the opposite. Only citizens who love their country and care about preserving democracy are motivated to engage in similar peaceful protests. The recent No Kings events mobilized an estimated 7 million Americans.

Some of the positive changes protests can initiate are:

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· Increased public awareness and national dialogue

· Strengthened democratic participation

· Giving voice to marginalized groups

· Promoting solidarity and collective identity

· Holding government and institutions accountable

· Shifting public opinion

· Inspiring future activism and leadership

Protests are more likely to succeed when well-organized, and there were an estimated 2600 organized events in October alone. One area group, Hands Off Central Texas, has been instrumental in recent protests across the Texas Capital area. The following essay by Paul Vonder Haar describes the keys to their success in organizing protests that make a difference.

Austin’s No King’s Day was a triumph of grassroots organizing. Despite the heat and unfriendly attention from the state and federal governments, tens of thousands of Texans came out to express their displeasure with the strains of authoritarian practices taking hold in our society. They came out expressing a joy that is not often seen today. A spirit of camaraderie and unity permeated the entire event, dispelling a murky fog induced by a perpetual storm of bad news and doomscrolling.

Our rally on Oct. 18 had the nation’s 5th largest No Kings attendance. It was twice as large as the sister event in Houston, making it the largest in Texas. Punching well above its weight, Austin is the 13th largest city in the country and number four in Texas.

Credit goes to the process used to organize and promote the event. Hands Off Central Texas, the group behind No Kings in Austin, is a “show-up-ocracy.” It’s run by — and for — those who want to show up to it. Partnering with groups such as the League of Women Voters, Indivisible, or people off the street, we empower them to take action. We notice problems and opportunities. If we can find someone to work them, we work them. There’s no hierarchy, no complicated structure — just a few basic rules of engagement and a lot of trust.

A culture of shared leadership provides the raw material for a new type of activism. After dozens of big and small events, we developed a deep bench of organizers invested in making No Kings our best event yet. We had a great mix of people, some with many years or experience and others who learned by doing. They all were willing to speak up when they had a good idea and step up to help make someone else’s vision come true.

No Kings Day was an organizational problem in need of creative solutions from an all-volunteer team. We knew we would draw a massive crowd of people who shared only loose connections with one another. Some attendees wanted to march. Others did not. All of those coming together held slightly different worldviews. Progressives, moderates, the old, the young, immigration activists, education advocates, trans crusaders, and more were coming together to voice their concerns about our government’s actions. Our primary challenge was to create a forum where a group so diverse in ideology and background could get what they needed from one event. In fact, diversity in organization was key to our success, offering three key advantages.

First, we were able to give the event real purpose. Critics of No Kings Day have said such protests can feel pointless. You show up, march, go “rah rah” and then go home, accomplishing nothing. At this event, we created a forum where individuals could connect with groups that share their passions. Thousands of people could plug into various organizations, potentially triggering a tsunami of new small acts of activism — writing post cards, voter registration, or simply committing to attend a meeting. It offered an on-ramp to the world of political activism to thousands of individuals looking for a way to better their community.

Second, every volunteer wrangling organizations into these villages could proceed in their work without the supervision of a central boss. There were people around who could help. But mostly we were able to leverage their passion and work without micromanaging. It takes a village! And sometimes it takes many villages.

Finally, the guest organizations provided infrastructure, connections, and turned out their base. We didn’t need to reach the unions and ask them to come. They already were there. Multiply that by 60, and it’s hard to imagine someone who wasn’t at least two or three degrees removed from someone volunteering for the event. Casting a wide net drove our attendance and participation levels higher.

The success of No Kings on Oct 18 was not an accident. Nor is it the end. Thousands of new activists are joining organizations, adding their energy and interest to dozens of causes. Six months ago, at the Hands Off rally that gives our organization its name, I couldn’t imagine exceeding the 10,000 attendees that we had then. Compared to the recent No Kings event in Austin, that initial rally seems quaint in comparison. We believe the next national day of action will be even bigger. That will happen because the people who show up deserve to be in charge. Hands Off Central Texas is dedicated to this simple principle of show-up-ocracy.

For Hands Off Central Texas and any other organizer of political protests, it’s clear that building engagement and buy-in from a broad range of participants is reminding them of the value of their actions. As many as 20,000 or more were motivated to act on No Kings 2 Day in Central Texas alone, demonstrating that large numbers of Texans care deeply about creating a democracy that works for all. If you’ve heard the question, as I have, “What good does a protest do?” you can refer to the benefits listed above and be assured that while change may happen slowly, your voice and your actions do count.

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