Last week’s protest on 4th and State saw a slight, but notable shift in attendance. Some have speculated it’s due to the end of a holiday, or perhaps it is increasing dissent among the people against the status quo. One thing can however be said, the protest had a number of new people, and showed signs that it wasn’t going to end there.
Protestors showed up early, a little bit before five. One passerby expressed interest in the protest, and was suggested by the protestors that perhaps he could join in, and while he didn’t join there and then, nor did he rule out joining in the future. With a looming oil crisis that’s nowhere near its peak, one must wonder the size these protests will reach unaddressed.
With the increase of the size, it seems the energy has taken a boost as well. One man played a cowbell attached to his American flag to the beat of the song playing, a song about the rejection of political violence, an older woman danced, holding a sign reading “Honk for Democracy,” and people compared signs, discussing them almost like an artform, one man carrying several signs with different readings on the front and back. These people are not tired at all, and if their current growth continues as conditions worsen, it is unlikely that they’ll stop.
Popular opinion seems to be on their side based on reactions, they are far from running out of steam, so, what is to be done? When a city is going through months of protests, even if not violent, they should speak to those protestors. It should not take violence to bring representatives to talk. These people are peaceful, they are also persistent and likely to grow given the facts at hand. The politicians that represent these people, their state legislators, their councilmen, their mayor, should at least consider showing up and asking simply, “As your elected representative, what can I do?” That alone would be the most powerful thing a politician can do.
As we move into another period of war with Iran, and its impact on oil, one of the points of contention, we will keep a close eye on how the changing situation impacts a protest on our city’s streets, and potentially, in our city’s government depending on how next year’s municipal elections go with a more politically active population.