Have you ever been to a protest?

I've been to one protest but I wasn't for either side. I was just kinda there. Didn't like my photo being taken, in case an undercover officer was snapping pictures.

How about you?

Nah. I don't care enough.

Nope. If wanted to help, do it another way.

Nope, never have and will not do such a thing. Not even for BLM.

there are some nutjobs in my town that camp out at a major intersection shouting obscenities to passing cars. like every fucking saturday they're out there if they weather is fair. sometimes it's only like 3 people, other times there's like 20. not sure wtf they're actually protesting. years ago it was "9/11 is a lie!", then it became "support the troops!", then it was "obama is a muslim!", then the maga folks moved in so now it's "**** you brandon!"

I think they're just "i'm mad at whatever am radio told me to be mad about this week!" types

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

A couple. I was invited to a Tea Party protest by my parents and went to support them. That was a weird one. In high school I worked at a library. David Duke wanted to speak, and he couldn't be denied access to the space so I watched a few dozen protesters outside his conference room as he spoke to 3 people.

No, quite often the people attending these protests just want to cry and moan, without offering any solutions or effort towards solving whatever issues are at hand.

@ratchetclank92: Isn't that kind of the point, though? Protesting is to raise awareness of an issue. It's not the platform for detailed policy proposal. Those get worked out by other people in positions of power.

It's the pressure applied to the lever, not the lever itself.

It is the point. Also, at minimum, it is exercising your free speech in a somewhat productive way (as opposed to the non-productive way, which is basically just being a troll).

Protesting is very much all about the saying "no such thing as bad press". We all hate it when people block traffic but I guarantee we all know why they're blocking traffic.

The issue these days is I find the people most responsible are also the people most removed from the situation. Blocked traffic? No big deal, they can just stay at home or get a ride in a helicopter. Protestors outside with pies to throw? They have a secret elevator to the parking basement where they can leave secretly.

So I guess it can feel like it accomplishes little outside of inconveniencing your everyday person driving to work or whatever.

Idunno...I still think it's an important thing to do. Even if I don't agree with you I will support your right to protest.

Participated in two during the Trump administration. Both related to his immigration policies.

Was genuinely considering the trucker protest. They got a lot of support from my region up until the GTA, and then more after. Other than that, no protests.

Yeah twice

Once over Eric Gardners death, was killed by a police officer in 2014 in a chokehold for selling a loose cigarette. Was in my early 20s in college.

The protest was being promoted as a protest against police brutality and at the time I cared alot about it, the video of the incident was bad, and this was when there were groups on Facebook focused around exposing police brutality. It was something I cared about alot at the time.

Seems like a good cause to go protest. But I was super disappointed with it. There was a black fraternity that pretty much tried to take control of the protest.. telling people that weren't black to go to the back of the crowd, saying stupid shit like "all Allys go to the back of the crowd.." was super cringe.. then they started yelling at people to lay in the middle of a 4 way intersection.. and at this point was already annoyed by the people "leading" the protest 🙄 and dipped ✌️

2nd protest was Lobby day in 2020 in Richmond when the governor at the time was trying to outlaw guns. That protest was crazy, a shit ton of people showed up from all over the state to the capital grounds in Richmond, like 80k+. That was a really good experience. Everybody was friendly and united. And it made a difference because the legislature backed off on the gun bans afterwards. Everybody was carrying too.. which I didn't mind, but the state definitely did mind.. lol they had swat dudes on all the rooftops, they set up fencing and metal detested entry way to get on the grounds tho, even though it's usually a public area that people could always carry on anyway. Weird side thing too, Alex Jones showed up to that protest and I got to talk to him briefly and shook his hand lol.. he was driving around in some tank looking humvee thing yelling about freedom and the constitution lol

I dont know why but this is hilarious to me lolololol

Quite a few times now. In fact, the overtime allowed me to splurge on some nice things (laptop). The summer 2020 riots were the worst though, being geared up in the summer is just super lame. Felt like I had to perform an exorcism on my vest to get the sweat out. Legit would take the hose to it outside with laundry detergent.

I'm on our auxillary mobile field force so I reckon this upcoming election will probably allow me to buy a couple new fancy guns... although the Mrs will likely object and ask me to build a gazebo instead... Happy wife, happy life.

When kid taken to some sort of bin man (trash man) protest.

Not sure what it was about, probably pay or something.

It wasn't like those Portland ones where Antifa and Proud Boys are trying to murder each other thinking they are in a WWE match, quite civil, we just stood there then went home.

Only by accident.

Sure, I've been to a few recently. Protesting Russian Aggression in Ukraine. Protesting the genocide of Palestinians. Protesting the dumping of sewage by water companies into our rivers.

Some people think it's pointless, but if it applies pressure on Westminster to take a position on things, propose new legislation or if opposition political parties take notice and start raising the issue too then it's worth it.

Nope. I see mass protest as a sign of systemic failure; a sign that a political system is incapable of addressing the concerns of its citizens without resorting to such public display of emotive theatre. Governance should be done through rules, process and consensus, not games, emotions and theatrics. Another reason I don't vote and don't believe in "Democracy."

On more than one occasion, I've been on the receiving in of a few protest where I got the pleasure of standing outside of an establishment as a security detail and have people yell in my face with personal attacks like they know me personally. Thankfully, I wasn't there alone as there were law enforcement involved as well. It's a place where refugee kids go that either are abandoned by their parents while fleeing or they're runaways. People are under the impression that they are being held in cages or being mistreated, so there's a group that's out protesting the whole organization. I can honestly say that I didn't enjoy a single moment of it....

Only once because it was a requirement to go to one in 12th grade in order to pass the class.