Manifestation

March in Washington for Civil Rights in the United States, August 28, 1963.

Los Angeles Times

San Francisco Chronicle

In the context of the Cold War, important U.S. newspapers showed the main news on their cover of May 9, 1958 the student protests of the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, the oldest university in America, in response to the questioned visit of Richard Nixon to that institution in Lima, Peru. Years later, Nixon would become the only American president to resign because of the Watergate scandal.

Protest against violence against women in Mexico.

A demonstration, protest or march is the public display of the opinion of an activist group (economic, political or social), through a congregation in the streets, often at a symbolic place or date and associated with that opinion. The purpose of a demonstration is to show that a significant part of the population is for or against a certain policy, person, law, etc. The success of a demonstration is usually considered greater the more people participate. In some demonstrations there are riots and violence against objects (such as cars), establishments, pedestrians or the police, or even against the protesters themselves. Generally, other protest mechanisms such as strikes (especially general strikes) are accompanied by demonstrations.

Count of protesters

There are several ways to count the number of people attending a demonstration:

• Count the number of individuals passing by a certain point in a minute and multiply the figure for the minutes that the demonstration lasts.
• Multiply the square meters that occupies the march by a certain number of protesters. In the central area this number is usually 1.5. If high-resolution photographs are available from the air, this technique is more accurate, as agglomeration can be better determined.
• With an appropriate computer program, demonstrators can count one by one on air photos.

Reasons to protest

Head of a student demonstration at İstiklal Avenue in Istanbul in April 2011.

Manifestation of guild in Israel 1969

In a study on the relationship between the quality of institutions and protests, the following results were found. That in countries with well-functioning institutions there is a greater tendency to participate through institutionalized forums, while in countries with less effective institutions direct participation mechanisms such as street protests are used. The most ideological people participate more frequently in protests in countries with strong institutions, while in countries with weak institutions this is not significant due to widespread discontent. Regarding political parties and relations with demonstrations, the following occurs: in countries with good institutions, people who believe that parties represent them well are more likely to participate in a party than those who think that a party does not. represent well; while in countries with poor institutions, people who believe that parties represent them well tend to participate in demonstrations. Consequently, parties can choose between institutionalized channels or more direct channels. In addition, the demonstrations intensify if the political bosses believe that it is the best way to affect the decisions.

On the other hand, various theorists consider that to generate demonstrations there must be a combination of two factors: dissatisfaction with the political system and alienation. That is why most of the demonstrations take place within minorities, people of a lower socioeconomic level or oppressed groups. However, other theorists such as Albert Bandura and Richard Walters consider that regardless of the frustration, the belief that these behaviors are effective reinforces the impetus of the population to repeat them constantly, especially if the people who carry out these movements can generate a feeling of identity and belonging. For example, if the demonstration is made up of students from a university, it is very likely that many other students from different universities will join them and that they will repeat the same actions that arose in a group similar to theirs.

Right of assembly

In Spain, the right of assembly is recognized in the Spanish Constitution of 1978.

1. The right to peaceful and unarmed assembly is recognized. The exercise of this right shall not require prior authorization.
2. In the event of meetings in public transit sites and demonstrations, prior communication shall be given to the authority, which may only prohibit them when there are substantial grounds for disruption of public order, with danger to persons or property.

Article 21, Spanish Constitution of 1978

In Paraguay, the right to freedom of assembly and demonstration is recognized in the 1992 National Constitution, the first to be considered truly democratic.

Persons have the right to assemble and manifest themselves peacefully, without weapons and for lawful purposes, without permission, as well as the right not to be compelled to participate in such acts. The law may only regulate its exercise in places of public transit, at specified times, by preserving third-party rights and the public order established by law.

Article 32, Constitution of Paraguay.

In Mexico, the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States consecrates, in its 9th article, that the right to associate or meet peacefully for any lawful purpose may not be restricted; but only the citizens of the republic may do so to take part in the political affairs of the country.

In addition to being considered a right, political participation can be classified in a threshold that begins with conventional and extends to non-conventional. For example, signing petitions and attending legal demonstrations are within the limits of democratic politics, that is, on the left side of the threshold. Strikes, boycotts and illegal activities are being classified more and more on the right side until reaching violent acts. Having said this, we can understand the demonstrations as a legal expression of the conventional politics that is the consequence of democracy.

List of relevant manifestations

Anti-government protests in Burma.

Manifestation in Las Palmas against Labour Reform.

• In addition, on May 1, the day of the worker, there are union demonstrations in many countries (not in the United States, where it is not celebrated).