Genuine Protesters and Just Killing Time Protesters

Protests in London, Winnipeg, Montreal, Berlin, Johannesburg and Lagos have two protesters: genuine and accidental. Both are important because they can influence policy.

However, they failed to keep Britain in the European Union (EU). In 2016, a referendum was called to see if Britain wanted to remain in the EU or exit. 52% voted for BREXIT.

In 2019, protesters took to the streets to demand staying in the EU after all. That didn’t work because as it stands, Britain left the E.U. so, massive protests against BREXIT did not change yes we must, referendum results.

Who were genuine protesters, who were accidental? It’s hard to tell. Genuine protesters usually have megaphones and conduct chants. I was going to say they also have placards but changed my mind.

Sometimes organizers place placards strategically where anyone can pick them up. I’ll take another risk and say genuine protesters are in T-shirts with messages in large letters.

Accidental protesters are passers-by, who were going nowhere in particular. Maybe they took a walk down the block or went to buy juice at the corner store. They see the action and join the march.

"What are you marching for?”

Accidental protesters just shrug and repeat the orchestrated chant about anti-vax, climate change; BREXIT in Britain; Black Lives Matter; oil drilling; minimum wage; voter suppression or Trump’s Make America Great Again, which led to 6 January when his supporters violently stormed Congress destroying property and killing security officers.

Accidental protesters in Africa e.g. Nigeria and South Africa are quite obvious. They can be as young as 12. They do what adults are doing. If adults loot, they loot too, destroy building, they do too.

It will be wise to bear the two protesters in mind, when we make blankets statements such as: there were more than a million people in the march.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.