Right to protest

The right to protest may be a manifestation of the right to freedom of assembly, the right to freedom of association, and the right to freedom of speech.[1] Additionally, protest and restrictions on protest have lasted as long as governments have.[2]

Janitorial workers exercising their right to protest in front of the MTV building in Santa Monica, California.

Many international treaties contain clear articulations of the right to protest. Such agreements include the 1950 European Convention on Human Rights, especially Articles 9 to 11; and the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, especially Articles 18 to 22. Articles 9 enunciates the "right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion."[3] Article 10 enunciates the "right to freedom of expression."[3] Article 11 enunciates the "right to freedom of association with others, including the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests."[3] However, in these and other agreements the rights of freedom of assembly, freedom of association, and freedom of speech are subject to certain limitations. For example, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights contains prohibitions on "propaganda of war" and advocacy of "national, racial or religious hatred"; and it allows the restriction of the freedom to assembly if it is necessary "in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order, the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others." (Articles 20 and 21)[3] It is important for people interested in protest to note that different places have passed their own clarification of these rights.

Protesting, however, is not necessarily violent or a threat to the interests of national security or public safety. Nor is it necessarily civil disobedience, when protesting does not involve violating the laws of the state. Protests, even campaigns of nonviolent resistance, or civil resistance, can often have the character (in addition to using nonviolent methods) of positively supporting a democratic and constitutional order. This can happen, for example, when such resistance arises in response to a military coup d'état;[4] or in the somewhat similar case of a refusal of the state leadership to surrender office following defeat in an election.

See also

References
  1. "The Historic Right to Peaceful Protest". YourRights.org.uk (Liberty). 19 September 2006. Archived from the original on 30 April 2008.
  2. Cooper, Jo (2005). Addis, Megan; Morrow, Penelope (eds.). "The Right to Peaceful Protest" in Your Rights: The Liberty Guide to Human Rights (8 ed.). Pluto Press. ISBN 9780745322766. JSTOR j.ctt183q56g.
  3. Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and/or International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Office of the United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights
  4. Adam Roberts, "Civil Resistance to Military Coups", Journal of Peace Research, Oslo, vol. 12, no. 1, 1975, pp. 19-36.
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