If we look throughout history, mass protests have often been key to changing unjust laws, holding governments accountable, and other significant social changes.
Some of them gathered such large numbers of people that they became watershed moments in world history. Although not all of the world's largest protests have always achieved their goals, they have left a deep mark on society and often inspired other demonstrations around the world.
Global wave of mass protests
The period between 2010 and 2020 was marked by a veritable explosion of mass protests that heralded profound social and political change. It all started in Tunisia, where the Arab Spring triggered a wave of revolutions and uprisings across the Arab world. Soon, large-scale protests spread to countries such as Turkey, Brazil, Ukraine, and Hong Kong. By the end of the decade, demonstrations had also spread to Sudan, Iraq, Algeria, France, Indonesia, India, Lebanon, Haiti, and much of Latin America.
During this decade, more people than ever before took to the streets, driven by a united demand for justice, freedom, and equal rights. These protests also reflected global frustrations with inequality, corruption, and political repression. While the motives and goals varied from country to country, the common thread of these movements was a desire for change and a determination of the people to stand up to injustice. A determination, even when the price included personal sacrifice.
What is meant by mass protests?
Mass protests are organized collective actions that bring together an exceptionally large number of participants with the aim of expressing dissatisfaction, demanding change, or supporting certain ideas. In order for a protest to qualify as “mass,” it must meet several key criteria:
These events often bring together hundreds of thousands, and sometimes millions, of people, and are therefore visible on a national and global level.
Protests of this magnitude often lead to significant changes, whether in legislation, political regimes, or social norms. Even when they do not achieve all their goals, they are a further inspiration for some future movements.
Mass protests attract a lot of attention from local and international media, and thus gain influence and visibility.
In addition to these basic elements, such movements often have symbolic significance, as they express the collective strength of the people and their ability to influence social processes.
The world's most massive protests - watershed moments that shaped the world
Protests have always played a key role in shaping modern societies and have often been the catalysts for change that have led to significant political and social transformations. Some of the most massive protests in history have left a deep mark – not only on the societies in which they took place, but also on global movements for human rights, social justice and political reform.
Although not all protests achieved their goals, their impact on politics, legislation, and social norms was significant. We present to you some of the largest protests in modern history, which have become symbols of the fight against injustice, inequality, and political repression.
Protests in India – Farmer Protests 2020-2021
One of the largest protests in modern history was the massive struggle of Indian farmers against agrarian laws that the government tried to introduce. An incredible 250 million people participated in the protests, making them the largest in history. The farmers' demand was the repeal of new laws that they believed would lead to the abolition of their rights and reduce security. Although the protests lasted for more than a year, in the end the farmers managed to achieve their key victory - the government withdrew the controversial laws.
Protests against the Iraq War in 2003
Before the United States and its allies entered the Iraq War in 2003, millions of people around the world took to the streets to express their opposition to military intervention. This global protest was one of the largest in history, with protests taking place in more than 60 countries. They took place in major cities such as London, New York and Berlin. Although the war in Iraq was not stopped, this mass resistance laid the foundation for future anti-war movements. According to French academic Dominique Renier, an estimated 3.000 million people took part in nearly 36 protests around the world.
Protesti Black Lives Matter 2020. godine
The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has seen the largest wave of protests in 2020, sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The movement has also become a global phenomenon, with thousands of people taking to the streets in more than 60 countries to fight police brutality and racism.
Starting as a reaction to a specific incident, the movement quickly became a symbol of a broader struggle for minority rights, equality, and human rights. BLM is still considered one of the most influential social movements of the 21st century. By some estimates, between 15 and 26 million people participated in the protests in the United States alone.
Tiananmen Square, China
One of the most famous protests in history was the Tiananmen Square in Beijing in 1989. The demonstrations began as a student protest for greater political freedoms and better living conditions, but quickly grew into a mass resistance against communist rule. Estimates of the death toll vary, but it is believed that several hundred, or perhaps more, people were killed during the suppression of the protests. The protesters failed to achieve political reforms, but the protest became a symbol of the struggle for human rights in authoritarian regimes.
May 1968 uprising in France.
The May 1968 uprising in France remains one of the most famous examples of mass protests in modern history. It began as a student movement, directed against conservative social norms, lack of freedoms, and a rigid education system. They were soon joined by workers, who organized a general strike that brought together over 10 million people and virtually paralyzed the country.
A similar wave of student protests swept across the SFRY in 1968, where students, inspired by global events, took to the streets. They demanded the democratization of society, better conditions in education, and a fight against the privileges of party elites.
Egypt and the Arab Spring
The Arab Spring was a series of protests that began in Tunisia but quickly spread to Egypt and other countries in the Middle East and North Africa. In Egypt, millions of people took to the streets demanding the fall of long-time president Hosni Mubarak. After months of relentless protests, Mubarak was forced to resign, a move widely seen as a symbol of hope for democracy in authoritarian regimes.
The most massive protests in Serbia
In Serbia, citizens also use protests as a legitimate way to express dissatisfaction, and these protests have often reflected political and social changes in recent history. Some of the most important include:
Demonstrations on March 9, 1991, where the main demands were the removal of the management of the state television and an end to the repression of the Slobodan Milošević regime.
Protests against electoral fraud (1996–1997) broke out after the regime refused to recognize the victory of the opposition coalition "Zajedno" in the local elections.
One of the largest protests in modern Serbian history took place on October 5, 2000, when millions of citizens across the country took to the streets demanding the end of the Milošević regime. The protests culminated in the occupation of the Federal Parliament building in Belgrade.
The environmental protests (2021-2022) were focused on environmental protection, with the main cause being the planned exploitation of lithium.
Serbia has a long tradition of citizens' struggle for justice, freedom and the preservation of fundamental rights, and so it is with the student protests currently taking place across the country. The reason for the mass blockade of all university faculties in Belgrade and Novi Sad, as well as all state faculties in Kragujevac, is the collapse of the canopy at the Novi Sad railway station.
Mass protests are the power of the people in the fight for change
Protests, especially the more massive ones, were and remain key movements in the fight for justice, freedom and social change. Regardless of the reason for the protest, each of them reflected and reflects the power of organizing people in the fight for change. In the example of Serbia, we can see that citizens, especially young people, continue the tradition of activism and the fight for security and responsibility.
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