> The main function of a protest is not to effect change, but to help people who support a cause meet each other. This is certainly the case with many protests

> The main function of a protest is not to effect change, but to help people who support a cause meet each other. This is certainly the case with many protests in many contexts, but there are ways to protest that make the powerful worried and ways that reassure them they really have nothing to worry about. There have been many protest movements that were organized to effect change and succeeded in doing so. What's more, people aren't showing up to these events thinking "this will certainly not effect change but may help me meet people". Once they get a clue that there's no potential for change they'll stop showing up.