Why do protests end in violence?

Although you haven't done anything wrong, everyone knows the creeping feeling of discomfort as soon as you see a police car behind you. The presence of police officers should rather create a feeling of security for the citizens. Why does the police not stand for what it should be for some people?

News from Hong Kong, Chile, Iran, Colombia, France and Lebanon reach the world and report mass protests against governments. Excessively high prices, social hardship, corruption and division of the strata are some of the issues that cause trouble for citizens these days. Many of the social media act like a kind of advertisement - people from all over the world see what is happening in other places and is no longer tolerated. The protests often escalate and end in violence - tear gas is used and there are even deaths.

There was also a police-critical demonstration in Germany on 13.12 December - the date selection was not a coincidence, since it can be derived from the letter sequence of "ACAB" - the expression may be subject to criminal prosecution.

In a mirror interview with the special rapporteur of the United Nations and co-founder of the network for human rights in West Africa, Clément Voule, the causes of violence in protests were highlighted. He gave two reasons for the escalation:

1. Governments feel threatened by peaceful protests and are therefore violently suppressing them.
2. Protesters do not see their demands taken seriously - violent means are used to attract attention and exert pressure.

The escalation is an interaction between the two sides. But how can violence be avoided in the future? The answer can be derived: the citizens must be taken seriously. Establishing a dialogue between governments and citizens can find out why there is dissatisfaction. Violence should not be a justified means on both sides.

In Norway, for example, police officers are trained to use de-escalating tactics and have to do without patrols on their service weapons. Protests in themselves are not the problem, but rather how to deal with them. The police could play a crucial positive role in the future if they deal with new Deal with strategies to avoid violence.

Photo / Video: Shutterstock.