Why have people been protesting?

Over the years, there have been causes why people have been protesting. In the past the government was more repressive than today and people didn’t use to express their desires and feelings. In our days there is a more democratic government than before, but there are other problems to resolve; education and make some changes in the laws. Nevertheless the citizenship has been protesting in different ways publicly and secretly since the world was created. Undoubtedly people who have been protesting have had an aim in common, a particular purpose that they expect to change. Have you ever participated in a protest? Would you like to know what you have to do in?

If you are organizing a protest firstly you have to pick a time and location because you need to find a better place to cause impact in the community. Also, you have to make your aim known; putting the word out trough emails, posters or flyers to friends, relatives or fellows, round up volunteers; persons who support you, organize speakers; and don’t forget to get the necessary equipment; you have to do a list of all the tools that you will need for example microphones, stands, video cameras and all that you need to make a successful manifestation.

However in the 80´it wasn’t as easy as today protesting. There are differences between the past and the present. Before protests were more secrecy and silence about how group convey. It was a time of bloodshed which was represented by the neo-liberal system. People only could express their thoughts and ideas through secret graffitis in the streets or secret codes in newspapers. But probably if they were found out protesting against the government, military personal could have killed them or they could have suffered tortures. On the contrary, in our times protests are more outspoken, we are immersed in a more democratic government and we can express our thoughts in relation to religious, politics, education and others.

In our days it’s not a problem launching into the streets to bring a message that you want be heard. It’s a reality people protesting. In 2006 students launched into the streets in a movement called “Penguin Movement”. Principally they wanted to modify the Organic Law of Education LOCE. This group was led by the secondary schools. The causes were mainly that students got bored of waiting for a better education. As a necessity to them they wanted to keep direct contact with the highest political representatives and they did. They expressed their requirements of change and the problems which were bothering Chilean students.

Not only education has been a cause why do people protest. In Chile the inefficiency of the Government annoys people. As you can see in the news, pharmacies stole a lot of money from the people and the government didn’t apply any satisfactory sanction. But this it wasn’t the first time, there were many other examples. Also The Justice system used to take a long time to give a resolution. Furthermore, it let unpunished companies and people who commit crimes, frauds, or sexual crimes. Sometimes when somebody is put in prison he or she stays too little time in jail. For these reasons people express their anger protesting who show us the little credibility that the Chilean Government has.

Another important cause in the past was repressive political and economic laws that characterized the government in the 80´. People felt censured, they could not vote because all political parties were banned, and also trade unions, the senate and traditional houses of the government disappeared. Moreover people suffered a lot of violence, because many people were killed. However people met secretly to express their dissatisfied and to find out a solution to end cruelty.

Actually people have protested in a little pacific way. However you can see there are many ways of protesting for example; picketing, marching, holding a vigil or sit ins. They have different features; some are more secrecy, public, pacific, revolutionary or only symbolic. Sometimes people choose one of them to bring their messages into the streets

In conclusion, it’s interesting to see the differences between the past and the present protests and how you can organize a protest. In our days people who protest are most aggressive than in the 80`. In these years the society were afraid of being punished because the repressive laws and they can’t express their desires and feelings publically. However people are protesting for but the same purpose; to make a deep change in education, government or laws.

By Claudia Hevia