Hello.

My name's Ms. Ikomi.

I'm a teacher from London.

And I'm gonna be guiding you through today's lesson.

Let's get started.

Today's lesson is called "What Change Has Protest Achieved?" It is part of the unit "Why Do We Need the Right to Protest in a Democracy?" By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to identify and evaluate different examples of protests and explain how they created change.

I'm going to set out some ground rules for today's lesson, as some of the things that we're speaking about might be regarded as controversial.

We have to listen to others.

It's okay to disagree with each other.

However, we should listen properly before making assumptions or deciding how to respond.

When disagreeing, challenge the statement, not the person.

We also have to respect privacy.

We can discuss examples, but please don't use names or descriptions that would identify anyone, including yourself.

We are not judging.

We can explore beliefs and misunderstandings about our topic without the fear of being judged.

And lastly, we can choose the level of participation.

Everyone has the right to choose not to answer a question or join a discussion.

We never put anyone on the spot.

The key words we're going to hear come up today are protest.

This is a public demonstration or action expressing disapproval or objection to a policy, decision or situation.

They're often aimed at raising awareness or demanding change.

Justice, the fair treatment and quality under the law.

Injustice, violation of our rights or unfair treatment.

And collective action, this refers to acting together to achieve a common goal.

Keep an eye out for these key words throughout our lesson today.

We're going to start by thinking about what do people protest about.

Protests are a really key part of democratic societies.

We know that democracy means that we have a right to have a voice in how our country is run.

Protesting provides citizens with the opportunity to express dissatisfaction with policies, laws, or social conditions.

This means it's one of the key ways that people are able to use their voice and express their opinions, beyond other things like voting.

When individuals feel that their human rights have been violated or that justice hasn't been served, protesting is a powerful way to raise awareness and also demand change.

Protests often serve as a public platform for those that feel marginalised or unheard.

Marginalised is where somebody has been pushed to the sides of society.

Protests enable them to challenge existing power structures.

They're crucial in a democracy because they allow citizens to hold their leaders accountable.

Through protests, individuals and groups can voice their concerns and influence government decisions, ensuring that those in power remain responsive to the needs of the public.

This means that we can express our views in between general elections as an alternative way to getting in contact with our specific MP, for example.

By mobilising large numbers of people, protests use collective action to exert pressure on governments.

This often compels or forces them to act upon the issue, but not all the time.

Let's check what we've done so far.

Why are protests important in democratic societies? Is it A, they allow governments to change laws without public involvement; B, they provide citizens with a way to express dissatisfaction and demand change; or C, they guarantee that leaders will always implement new policies? Pause your video and choose your answer.

The correct answer is B.

Well done if you got that right.

People protest for a wide range of reasons.

Often, these are linked to social, political, economic, or environmental issues.

Social protests focus on matters like inequality, justice and human rights.

For example, the #MeToo movement highlighted the widespread issue of sexual harassment in 2017 by survivors using the hashtag on social media.

People just hashtagged MeToo to show that they supported this issue.

It's another example of online activism.

Political protests oppose government policies or actions.

An example of this is the People's Vote marches.

These occurred between 2018 and 2019 and rejected the result of the Brexit referendum.

Environmental protests demand urgent action on the climate crisis.

They're pushing for stronger environmental protections.

An example of this are the School Strike for Climate, Friday for Futures protests.

Since 2018, pupils have been voluntarily missing school on Fridays to highlight the issue of climate change.

Let's do another check.

Which of the following is an of a protest about a social issue? Is it A, women protesting against the gender pay gap; B, the People's Vote march demanding a second EU referendum; C, Extinction Rebellion protesting to reduce carbon emissions; or D, trade Unions protesting in favour of tax reforms? Pause your video and choose your answer.

The correct answer is A.

Well done if you got that right.

Let's put this into practise.

I'd like you to write a paragraph explaining why protests are important within a democracy.

I'd like you to consider how protests allow citizens to hold leaders accountable, what citizens typically protest about, and an example of how protests can bring about change.

Sophia has given us a sentence starter to get us started.

"Protests play a key role in democracy because." Pause your video and complete this task now.

I asked you to write a paragraph explaining why protests are important in a democracy.

Your answer might have included some of the following points.

Protests play a key role in democracy because they allow people to express their views and influence decision makers.

In a democratic society, citizens have the right to speak out and challenge the government when they believe it's not acting in their best interests.

Protests give people a platform to hold leaders accountable and demand changes in policies and laws.

People usually protest about social, political, and environmental issues.

For example, the protests organised by School Strike for Climate raise awareness about the urgent need for action on the climate crisis.

This encourages governments to adopt stronger environmental policies to protect the planet for future generations.

Well done if you included some of those points in your answer.

Next, we're going to think about what makes a protest effective.

Not every protest leads to change, but certain factors increase the chances of the protest being successful.

They need to have clear goals.

These have to be specific demands or objectives to make them effective.

Public support, strong public backing makes it harder for leaders to ignore those demands or objectives.

Media attention is very important.

Coverage from the news outlets or social media can help to spread the message further.

And lastly, non-violence.

Peaceful protests are more likely to gain public sympathy.

On the slide, we can see an example of a UCU strike placard.

The UCU is the University and College Union.

This is the trade union that represents lots of people who work in academia, including lecturers and other academics.

Okay, let's see what we've done so far.

Which element for an effective protest is missing from the list below? We've got public support, clear goals, and non-violence.

Pause your video and see if you can find out which one's missing.

The correct answer is media attention.

Well done if you've got that correct.

Not all protests lead to immediate change.

Even if they don't have instant success, they can still be very effective in raising awareness.

They might shift public attitudes and therefore lay the groundwork for future reforms. Some protests can act as a catalyst, influencing public debate or inspiring future activism.

A catalyst is something that gets something else started.

For example, protests such as the marches that were against the Iraq War in 2003 didn't stop the war from taking place.

However, they did change public perceptions and therefore it shaped future discussions about the UK's foreign policy.

They also played a role in the then government that was run by the Labour Party losing 48 seats in the 2005 election.

So even if they don't have immediate effect, protests can still be very effective.

They often require persistence, patience, and ongoing effort of activists in order to achieve this long-term meaningful change.

Let's check what we've done so far.

Why might a protest still be considered successful even if it doesn't achieve its immediate goals? Is it A, protests always result in immediate policy change within a year; B, protests raise awareness, shift public opinion, and inspire future activism; C, governments are legally required to act on all protest demands; or D, protests prevent future public and media opposition on the same issue? Pause your video and choose your answer.

The correct answer was B.

Well done if you got that right.

Here we have an example of a really effective and very famous protest.

You might recognise the man in the picture.

It's Martin Luther King addressing the crowds at the March on Washington march in 1963.

Martin Luther King was a really important activist within the Civil Rights movement in America that sought to end segregation.

This movement was happening in the 1950s and 1960s.

The aim was to end racial segregation and therefore secure equality for African Americans.

This is an example of both a social and political change that was trying to be instigated.

The movement used nonviolent protests such as the Montgomery bus boycott and the March on Washington to raise awareness and gain media attention.

A boycott is where you refuse to use a service, therefore, you're not putting money into that service.

It often encourages people to make a change because they'd like to see their profits go up again.

The March on Washington involved people coming together and using their bodies in this space to show that they supported this very important issue.

The eventual success of the civil rights movement showed that collective action can lead to transformative social and political change.

Okay, let's see what we've done so far.

What three methods made the protest by the civil rights movement effective? Pause your video and see if you can remember.

The three methods were: the protests had clear aims, the protests were peaceful, and the protests also gained media attention.

Well done if you got those correct.

Young people are increasingly getting involved in protests and are often leading the movements for change.

This is because they know that some of the decisions that are being made now will have an effect on their future.

For example, the School Strike for Climate was inspired by the 15-year-old Greta Thunberg.

Greta Thunberg is a climate activist who is very vocal about the need to reduce climate change.

Another example of a movement started by a young person was the Free Periods movement.

This was started by 17-year-old Amika George.

The aim was to get free sanitary products into schools because Amika realised that lots of people were missing school as they did not have access to these products.

Youth activism shows us that young voices have a really powerful impact.

They can influence public debate and shape future policies, so therefore, even if someone doesn't have the right to vote yet, they can still be politically active within a democracy by using their right to assemble or protest.

Many youth protests have gained significant media attention.

They've got public support and are often nonviolent.

Okay, true or false, youth protests are often effective in achieving change? Pause the video and choose your answer.

Can you also have a think about why? The correct answer is true.

Youth protests can often raise awareness about issues that will affect future generations, so therefore, they often receive media coverage and have public support.

Many are also nonviolent.

Well done if you got that right.

Let's put this into practise.

I'd like you to create a plan for an effective protest about an issue that matters to you, for example, education reform, mental health support, or environmental action.

Your plan should include the following features: a clear goal, what change you demanding, the methods, will your protest involve marches, sit-ins, or another peaceful method? Public support, how will you raise awareness and involve others? And lastly, the role of the media.

How will you attract media attention to amplify or increase your message? Pause the video and complete this task now.

I asked you to create an effective protest plan focusing on one of the issues that you are interested in.

I'm gonna read through an example of what a protest plan focused on mental health might look like.

The goal is to secure 10 million pounds in additional government funding for mental health services in school by 2027.

The methods: I would liaise with local law enforcement to organise a peaceful march through the city centre.

In terms of gaining public support, I would use social media to promote the event, encouraging pupils, parents, carers, and advocacy groups to join.

And lastly, in terms of the role of the media, I would reach out to local and national news outlets for coverage, emphasising the importance of youth mental health.

Lastly, we're going to think about what are some examples of successful protests.

Protests throughout history and across the world have shown us the power of collective action and how when we come together, we can drive social, political, and environmental change.

Alex is reminding us that collective action is when we act together to achieve a common goal.

From civil rights to environmental campaigns, successful protests demonstrate that when we unite behind a cause, we can influence public policy, challenge injustices, and shape the future.

We're gonna think about some examples of where this has been put into practise.

These movements show that organised collective action is a vital force in advancing social progress.

An example of successful protests were the Black Lives Matter movement, which gained momentum in the UK in 2020.

This was following on from the protests that were happening in America.

The movement aims to highlight racism, discrimination, and racial inequality.

The movement also aimed to remove certain statues that were linked to the UK and its involvement in the transatlantic slave trade.

Protestors removed the statue of Edward Colston in a march for Black Lives Matter in Bristol.

Local authorities removed a statute of Robert Milligan in London.

Both Colston and Milligan were slave traders.

The argument for removing their statues was that it reflected poorly on the current state of our society, as those values are no longer held to be true.

I've got a picture on the slide that shows photo of graffiti that was inspired by the BLM movement.

We can see a symbol there.

We have a sign of somebody holding it up, saying, "Black Lives Matter." The protests in BLM and the movement's collective action brought the issue of racial inequality to the forefront of public debate.

That meant that people were having conversations that they weren't previously happening, maybe in schools, maybe in their workplaces.

It led to the government reviews of institutional racism.

This is looking into racism on an institutional scale, and also review of London's current statutes, plaques, and street names to ensure that all members of the community felt that their interests were being represented.

Okay, let's see what we've done so far.

What are some of the main aims of the Black Lives Matter movement? A, to tackle racial inequality? B, to push for a universal standard of education? C, to remove statues linked to Britain's slavery past? Or D, to place a ban on all forms of police surveillance? Choose any of these that you think apply.

The correct answers were A and C.

Well done if you've got those right.

In what ways can the Black Lives Matter movement be seen as a success in the UK? Is it A, it led to the removal of all statutes linked to slavery; B, it led to government reviews of institutional racism; or C, it led to the banning of all public protests? Pause your video and choose your answer now.

The correct answer is B.

Well done if you got that right.

I'd like you to think about another example of a successful campaign.

I'm going to read out some information, and I'd like you to write a summary of the Free Period campaigns.

In your summary, I'd like you to include who founded the campaign, what the aims of the campaign were, what strategies were used to raise awareness, and lastly, what the result of the campaign was.

The Free Periods campaign was started by Amika George when she was 17 years old after she first learned about period poverty in the UK.

She read an article about how pupils in the UK were missing school because they couldn't afford sanitary products.

The campaign used several peaceful methods to push for change.

George started to petition which gained nearly 200,000 signatures, used social media and the hashtag #FreePeriods to raise awareness, met with members of Parliament, and held a protest outside Parliament, which attracted over 2,000 protestors.

The Free Period campaign also took the UK government to court arguing that the government legally had to provide free period products in educational settings to ensure equal access to education, regardless of sex.

The campaign was a success, and in 2020, the Department for Education agreed to fund period products in all English schools and colleges to help those who menstruate access education more easily.

Free Periods is now a non-for-profit organisation, which continues to advocate for young people who menstruate.

George has also written a book called "Make It Happen," which encourages other young people to start their own campaigns.

Now you've got your information.

I'd like you to try and write your summary about the Free Periods campaign.

Pause your video and do this now.

Your summary of the campaign might have included some of the following information.

The campaign was founded by 17-year-old Amika George.

The aims were to tackle period poverty and demand free menstrual products in schools.

Strategies they used to raise awareness included a petition with nearly 200,000 signatures, social media, hashtag, #FreePeriods.

She met with members of Parliament, held a protest outside of Parliament with over 2,000 protestors, and challenged the UK government in court.

The result of the campaign was that, in 2020, the Department of Education responded by funding free menstrual products in all English schools and colleges.

Well done if you included some of that in your answer.

Today, we have been thinking about what change has protest achieved.

We have learned that protests are essential in democratic societies, giving citizens a platform to challenge policies, laws, and social conditions.

When effective, especially through collective action, protests can drive change and influence public policy.

Key characteristics like clear goals, public support, media coverage, and persistence enhance the impact of protests and campaigns.

Recent campaigns such as Free Periods and the Black Lives Matter show how protests raise awareness and inspire reform.

Thank you for joining me today.