Every person has different reasons why he or she participates in a protest, direct action or civil disobedience. Recent critics of protests characterize public assemblies as violent mobs with the sole purpose of disrupting an event. But most protesters defy this stereotype and a more accurate, peaceful image of demonstraters comes up, one of educated, motivated people assembling to demand action on issues that are being ignored by our local and/or national government.


Protesters in Los Angeles have come for many different reasons. One participant, Monrovia, works for a non-profit agency and has come to the Democratic National Convention protests to educate people face to face.


“[Protestors] are active parts of this democracy but we feel like there is so much that needs to be addressed, that it can’t all be handled in a governmental way,” a protestor named Monrovia said. “Protests serve to educate and bring issues directly to the people.”


Monrovia pointed to the lack of violence in Philadelphia during the Republican National Convention and said that protests are the only proven methods for bringing about real social change.


“I would encourage people to look at the civil rights movement and its non-violent, issue-oriented agenda and not assume all protests are violent,” Monrovia said.


Jennafer Waggoner, a protestor in favor of Navajo rights in regards to energy issues, said she participates in protests to represent people who cannot represent themselves.


Waggoner also made the point that protests reflect the people’s time for expression just as television commercials represent the corporation’s time for expression.


“Everytime people turn on their televisions, they’re confronted by a lot of images that are paid for by corporations called commercials, and no one ever has any problems with that,” Waggoner said. “There’s no place in society where we the people have access to commercials for social causes.”


Waggoner, along with fellow protester Will Henry, said that Americans are too critical of demonstrations and public assemblies, saying that conditions in America force them to be loud and angry just to gain media attention.


“If [activists] got just the equal amount of time as corporations, then [activists] wouldn’t have to be screaming and yelling—instead [activists] have to scream and shout just so that people will hear what [activists] have to say,” Waggoner said.


Henry said he participates in protests to make the public aware of social values and hopes actions make people more aware of governmental actions.


“People are never confronted with something that’s going on right beneath their noses,” Henry said. “Protests let people know if they should act.”


Protests have historically been times where people simply gather together to express their opinions and demand action.


A woman referred to as C. Hughes says she protests because she prefers action on issues rather than talking about issues.


“I’m sick of talk,” Hughes said. “Protests are needed to actually do something and be consistent pushes for change on any given issue,” Hughes said.


Daniel, another an at the protests, said he sees demonstrations as unique times where people from all over the world, with all different opinions, can come together and discuss issues.


“Protests are the only time so many different groups from all walks of life gather together,” Daniel said.


Overall, people view protests as opportunities to incite creativity rather than violence. The recent example of non-violent protests in Philadelphia puts to rest any claims that modern protestors are only out to be violent and cause trouble.