How Covid-19 Has Changed the Face of American Activism

CORONAVIRUS AND PROTEST: HOW COVID-19 HAS CHANGED THE FACE OF AMERICAN ACTIVISM

ELLIOTT BRENNAN | MAY 2020 The United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney is a university-based research centre, dedicated to the rigorous analysis of American foreign policy, economics, politics and culture. The Centre is a national resource, that builds Australia’s awareness of the dynamics shaping America — and critically — their implications for Australia.

UNITED STATES STUDIES CENTRE Institute Building (H03), City Rd The University of Sydney NSW 2006 Australia +61 2 9351 7249 [email protected] USSC.EDU.AU

Research conclusions are derived independently and authors represent their own view, not those of the United States Studies Centre. Reports published by the United States Studies Centre are anonymously peer-reviewed by both internal and external experts. TABLE OF CONTENTS

Key points 02

Months of lockdown after years of protest 03

Conservative protests 04

Progressive protests 11

COVID-19 could politically activate young Americans 15

Conclusion 17

Endnotes 18

About the author 22

This report may be cited as: Elliott Brennan, “Coronavirus and protest: How COVID-19 has changed the face of American activism,” United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, May 2020. KEY POINTS

› The COVID-19 pandemic coincides with an › At this point, only small numbers historic era of protest in the United States. of conservatives are protesting, yet movements of all stripes are taking the › The number of individual protests time to digitally re-tool and prepare to in the United States significantly mobilise when restrictions are lifted. diminished at the beginning of the lockdown, increased in mid-April › Prominent US progressive groups have and accelerated following President shifted their focus to recognise the Trump’s LIBERATE tweets on April 17. immediate challenges of household relief, health support for the most vulnerable › The biggest increase in protests has and gearing the economic recovery in been mostly in states that went to the direction of a Green New Deal. Donald Trump in the 2016 election, but have Democratic governors. › With younger generations of Americans bearing a heavy social, educational and › The pandemic and its economic fallout economic burden while facing the lowest have created new protest movements and health risk during the pandemic, this crisis stand to embolden already simmering could activate this otherwise famously progressive and conservative movements. politically lethargic demographic. › The lockdown policies across the United States set the conservative priority of individual liberty against the progressive priority of the common good, exacerbating an already entrenched partisan divide in the United States. ----

Protestors circle Philadelphia City Hall in vehicles to demand reopening of Pennsylvania, 8 May 2020 (Getty)

UNITED STATES STUDIES CENTRE 2 CORONAVIRUS AND PROTEST: HOW COVID-19 HAS CHANGED THE FACE OF AMERICAN ACTIVISM MONTHS OF LOCKDOWN AFTER YEARS OF PROTEST

Protest is a defining characteristic of American But now the loudest social movements in the society. The Boston Tea Party, the subsequent United States are pro-Trump and anti-lockdown. Revolutionary War and the splintering Civil Physical protest in the time of a pandemic is a War all bear the hallmarks of a national spirit dangerous and broken tool of civil resistance. of protest. The First Amendment of the United Experts, including those in the White House, States Constitution clearly enshrines freedom of acknowledge that restric- assembly, expression and the right to petition as tive measures will need to be three of the first five freedoms.1 maintained in some form for THIS REPORT CONSIDERS HOW The last half century has been punctuated by months to stop the spread of SUCH A DEVASTATING episodes of great American protest. These the coronavirus and to prevent ECONOMIC DOWNTURN mass acts of expression, assembly and peti- a “second wave” of cases.4 AND FAR REACHING tion emanate from the civil rights and anti-war USE OF GOVERNMENT This report places recent movements in the 1960s and 70s, continued POWER COULD EXPAND American protest movements through anti-nuclear and gay and lesbian rights THE SCALE, URGENCY, in historical perspective. It AND BOLDNESS campaigns in the 80s and 90s, came back to the outlines why conservatives OF CONSERVATIVE fore at the turn of the century with the anti-glo- are particularly aggrieved by AND PROGRESSIVE balisation “Battle of Seattle” and surged during MOVEMENTS BOTH the lockdowns in many states the Iraq War. In the 12 years since the Global DURING AND AFTER and examines the conservative Financial Crisis (GFC), protests in the United THE PANDEMIC. players agitating for the easing States again increased with the Tea Party and of COVID-19 restrictions, Occupy movements and accelerated in many including the president. By using state-level data directions following the election of President of the protests, this report maps the number and Donald Trump in 2016.2 trend of protests in the United States in response In 2019, American movements like March For to the pandemic restrictions. Our Lives, Black Lives Matter, #MeToo and the It also considers how such a devastating Women’s March, as well as the international economic downturn and far reaching use of School Strike For Climate, were important play- government power could expand the scale, ers in the global sweep of protests, although urgency, and boldness of conservative and they fell well short of scale and impact of the progressive movements both during and after Hong Kong protests and the government-break- the pandemic. ing movements that took place in countries like 3 Lebanon, Algeria, Bolivia, Iraq and Sudan. The United States is now an immensely divided nation tackling a high-stakes health crisis and headed towards a high-stakes presidential election.

UNITED STATES STUDIES CENTRE CORONAVIRUS AND PROTEST: HOW COVID-19 HAS CHANGED THE FACE OF AMERICAN ACTIVISM 3 CONSERVATIVE PROTESTS

What motivates conservative How is COVID-19 playing into this? protesters? The stay-at-home and lockdown measures In recent weeks, much attention has been paid enforced by many states do not sit well with to groups of conservative protesters demanding the primacy of individual liberty. During March that their states reopen and they be given the and April, all but five US states paused their local freedom to work. Personal freedom is a well- economies to varying degrees and issued stay- known value in American society. In a 2019 United at-home-orders.9 The most severe closed all States Studies Centre (USSC) survey of Ameri- schools and only kept businesses and opera- cans and Australians, 74 per cent of Australians tions open that were deemed absolutely essen- nominated it as a favourable aspect compared tial. Given the scepticism of government inter- with 87 per cent of Americans.5 The perception of vention in the United States, it is no surprise that the United States as the land of the state’s role in curtailing this liberty and the the free is a longstanding one ability to move about freely has provoked, among THESE PROTESTERS a small fraction of conservatives, a compulsion AND THEIR OFTEN- but is also one that is funda- FLAGRANT DISREGARD mentally disjointed with the to exercise their constitutional right to assem- FOR SOCIAL COVID-19 pandemic. bly. State governor’s residences and state capi- DISTANCING, AS WELL tols have been subject to groups of protesters AS A VISIBLE MINORITY The central role of liberty in demanding that the economy be opened. These PROUDLY CARRYING conservative American thought protesters and their often-flagrant disregard for HEAVY FIREARMS, extends to a perception of an social distancing, as well as a visible minority HAVE DOMINATED individual’s role in determin- PRESS COVERAGE. proudly carrying heavy firearms, have dominated ing their own success. This press coverage. is historical,6 but it continues to this day, albeit in a more politically charged manner. In the same USSC survey, 80 per cent The number of protests in the of Americans who voted for Donald Trump in United States has surged, but the the 2016 election said that “hard work and ability number of protesters hasn’t determine how well off a person becomes in It is possible to ascertain the broad impact the your country”. Only 43 per cent of those who lockdown has had on protests in the United voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016 said the same. States using data from the Global Database of This 37-point gap between progressive and Events, Language and Tone Project (GDELT), conservative-voting Americans provides a snap- an open-source academic resource providing shot of the deep partisan divide in the country.7 information on various “events” stretching back Similar partisan divisions were on display in a to 1979.10 It can be observed in Figure 1 that the variety of areas but were largest on issues of number of protests in the United States dimin- government intervention, where conservatives ished significantly in early March 2020, as the were considerably more sceptical of the govern- pandemic became apparent in the United States. ment’s involvement in questions of support for Protests began increasing in mid-March as many the unemployed, a minimum wage set above the states began to impose stay-at-home and lock- poverty line and universal healthcare.8 down orders and surged in mid-April. These data only represent the number of protest events and not the number of protesters, they show the

UNITED STATES STUDIES CENTRE 4 CORONAVIRUS AND PROTEST: HOW COVID-19 HAS CHANGED THE FACE OF AMERICAN ACTIVISM Figure 1. The number of nation-wide protests in mid-April 2020 eclipsed all 2019 protest movements

GDELT data showing the five-day rolling average of national protests between 1 Jan 2019 and 4 May 2020

Protests against the 300 detention of children in border camps and for gun control. President Trump Global Climate tweets "LIBERATE Strike for Greta Thunberg MICHIGAN", Future. leads Global "LIBERATE VIRGINIA", Climate Strike and in New York. "LIBERATE MINNESOTA" in response to 200 COVID-19 lockdowns.

Number of protests 100

Apr '19 Aug '19 Dec '19 Apr '20

broad trend of protest against authorities. The ident Trump’s tweets on Friday 17 April issuing a dataset overwhelmingly represents anti-lock- vague call to “LIBERATE” Virginia, Michigan, and down protests but includes less-frequent protest Minnesota.13 The number of protests peaked at actions like those taken by activists seeking more than 400 events on Monday 20 April.14 the release of prisoners at risk to COVID-19.11 It Figure 2 shows that following the peak on 20 does not include counter-protests, like those April, protest action levelled out before a second conducted by healthcare workers in Colorado,12 smaller peak between 1 and 2 May. This peak as it is coded for protests against government follows a high-profile protest in Lansing, Michi- (local, state and federal) and not civil groups. gan on 30 April when militia groups joined with The five-day rolling average of protests in 600-700 protesters and staged a high-profile mid-April 2020 shown in Figure 1 is on par with armed occupation of the state Capitol as the the peak level of national protests following reve- legislature debated extending the stay-at-home lations about the prison-like conditions children order.15 President Trump weighed in on this action were kept in at immigration border camps in July as well, tweeting early in the morning of 1 May 2019. Protest action began trending upward in that the protesters in Michigan were “very good mid-March 2020 when states began imposing people” and that Governor Gretchen Whitmer stay-at-home orders. The surge in mid-April should negotiate with them.16 encompasses and then accelerates after Pres-

UNITED STATES STUDIES CENTRE CORONAVIRUS AND PROTEST: HOW COVID-19 HAS CHANGED THE FACE OF AMERICAN ACTIVISM 5 Figure 2. Increase in national protests following LIBERATE tweets

GDELT data for the number of national protests between 1 April and 12 May 2020

President Trump tweets 400 "LIBERATE MICHIGAN", Early morning 1 May, "LIBERATE VIRGINIA", President Trump tweets that and "LIBERATE MINNESOTA" armed protesters who in response to COVID-19 occupied the Michigan lockdowns on 17 April. Capitol are "very good people" who should 300 be negotiated with.

200

California issues first of many state-wide stay-at-home orders. Number of protests

100

12 March 19 March 26 March 02 April 09 April 16 April 23 April 30 April 07 May 14 May Date

Since President Trump’s first encouraging tweets, Although the number of protests is high, the the number of daily protests in the United States number of overall protesters presents a differ- remained at a baseline significantly higher than ent picture. Preliminary data from the Crowd most of 2019 — the so-called “year of global Counting Consortium seems to indicate that protest” — with more than 100 actions per day. these protests have been significantly smaller in The two occasions that President Trump most scale than many of those that took place through- notoriously weighed in on the protests corre- out 2019.18 For example, there were an estimated late with the two largest spikes in protest action, 313,000 protesters in July 2019, compared to a moments when other presidents would likely preliminary estimate of 43,000 throughout April have acted to quell actions. Governors like Wash- 2020, including repeat protesters. Many individ- ington state’s Jay Inslee blasted the president’s ual protests during 2019 eclipsed this number interventions as attempts at “fomenting domestic many times over. Indeed, the wave of Tea Party rebellion”.17 These data do not demonstrate that protests a decade earlier on 15 April 2009 mobi- the president’s interventions caused the protest lised more than 300,000 people in more than action. Rather, it shows that as can often be the 500 distinct protests across the United States.19 case with Donald Trump, he identified an existing grievance and amplified it.

UNITED STATES STUDIES CENTRE 6 CORONAVIRUS AND PROTEST: HOW COVID-19 HAS CHANGED THE FACE OF AMERICAN ACTIVISM But none of these actions occurred during a cially considering the health risks, points to a pandemic like COVID-19. Protesting at this time genuine agitation across the country that corre- is a dangerous political act. After 1,500 people lates with the imposition of stay-at-home orders attended a 24 April rally in Madison, Wiscon- and the president’s high-profile interventions. sin, more than 70 people tested positive for the virus who indicated to health officials that they AstroTurf versus grassroots: had “attended a large event”.20 As these actions have centred on state capitols, anonymous cell The reopen movement is being phone data has shown that protesters have often pushed from the top down travelled hundreds of miles and even across This widespread phenomenon of protest is 21 state lines to attend, before returning home. important. These national measures mask the For some of these protesters, home can be more fact that each state is experiencing the pandemic rural parts of the United States which often lack differently. Looking at the ten states that had the the necessary health infrastructure to deal with largest per cent increase in protests between any outbreak, let alone one as aggressive as the March and April 2020 shows the sharpest novel coronavirus. increase in protest action in Democratic-gov- The increase in the number of individual protest erned, split or marginal states coming into the events, however small the gatherings and espe- 2020 presidential election (Table 1).

Table 1. Per cent increase in state protests between March and April 2020

Rank State Increase Governor Electoral COVID-19 Partial in protests and college 2016 cases reopening March-April party affiliation and margin (as at 30 plan 2020 (%) April)22 announced 1 Kentucky 115.0 Andy Beshear Trump 4,375 29 April (Democrat) (29.8%) 2 Wisconsin 97.0 Tony Evers Trump 6,520 11 May (Democrat) (0.7%) 3 Colorado 73.0 Jared Polis Clinton 14,735 22 April (Democrat) (4.9%) 4 Maryland 21.3 Larry Hogan Clinton 20,849 14 May (Republican) (26.4%) 5 Michigan 15.2 Gretchen Whitmer Trump 40,399 6 May (Democrat) (0.3%) 6 Washington 13.0 Jay Inslee Clinton 13,842 30 April state (Democrat) (15.7%) 7 Louisiana 11.9 John Bel Edwards Trump 27,660 11 May (Democrat) (19.7%) 8 Virginia 10.9 Ralph Northam Clinton 14,961 11 May (Democrat) (5.4%) 9 Georgia 10.8 Brian Kemp Trump 25,572 20 April (Republican) (5.1%) 10 Ohio 10.2 Mike DeWine Trump 17,303 27 April (Republican) (8.1%)

Source: GDELT data of protests against government (local, state, and federal) in the United States between March and April 2020

UNITED STATES STUDIES CENTRE CORONAVIRUS AND PROTEST: HOW COVID-19 HAS CHANGED THE FACE OF AMERICAN ACTIVISM 7 Many of these states listed in Table 1 are Demo- But so long as the protests remain largely non-vi- cratic-governed but have Republican-controlled olent, their organisation by maleficent forces will or split state congresses. Several, particularly serve to normalise the act of protest for more Wisconsin and Michigan are crucial swing states mainstream conservatives feeling the same sharp in the 2020 presidential election. On the broadest sense of limitation and loss. sweep, these states are either very conserva- There is a large degree of politics at play. Pres- tive, moderate or conservative-leaning (though ident Trump’s clearest interventions in state excluding Maryland and Washington state) with politics have been in Virginia, Michigan, and governors who have clashed with President Minnesota — all states with a large increase in Trump over lockdown policy.23 the number of protests in April and all-important The combination of a Democratic governor and Electoral College states in the November elec- a broadly moderate or conservative constituency tion. The president has clashed with governors can make the governors genuinely appear as a by political convenience. He has most vigorously “tyrant” dressed in colours at odds with a constit- called for the reopening of Democratic-governed uent’s personal politics. states, but Republican governors have not been immune. Maryland’s governor Larry Hogan drew The conservative protests represent genuine and the ire of the president when he circumvented the well-founded concerns about the freedom to federal government to import personal protec- provide and maintain a standard of living, but tive equipment from South Korea.27 Georgia’s many of the early and high-profile gatherings governor Brian Kemp initially had the support were organised and funded by truly far-right of the president for one of the earliest and most groups.24 These groups plug into the ideolog- aggressive reopening policies, but President ical leanings of conservative Trump later publicly said he “strongly disagreed” Americans where and when PRESIDENT TRUMP with the move.28 Ohio’s Republican governor HAS FORGONE THE it suits them. They are able to Mike DeWine has repeatedly contradicted the OPPORTUNITY TO BE A mobilise conspiracy theorists words of the president in his implementation of NATIONAL UNIFIER AND ranging from anti-vaxxers to HAS SUBSEQUENTLY one of the strongest lockdowns in the country. All anti-deep state online move- SHROUDED THE FIGHT three have had to contend with protesters, a large ments like QAnon. Protest AGAINST THE VIRUS contingent of which are visibly Trump support- organisers have requested that IN A DANGEROUS ers. In his ad hoc handling of the politics of this POLITICAL CLOAKING. disparate private militia groups crisis, President Trump has pitted states against “provide security” and uphold the federal government, governors against each the constitutional right of assembly they are exer- other, and protesters against politicians. He has cising.25 But as they sweep up these extremists, forgone the opportunity to be a national unifier they embolden them. For many of these militia and has subsequently shrouded the fight against groups, truthers and government sceptics, this the virus in a dangerous political cloaking. is the moment of crisis they have been prepar- ing to exploit. The fact that Michigan cancelled a sitting of the legislature on 14 May in the face of an organised armed protest demonstrates the power they are being afforded to wield.26 It is a wicked problem. Ceding to armed intimida- tion validates its utility, clamping down on it risks violence.

UNITED STATES STUDIES CENTRE 8 CORONAVIRUS AND PROTEST: HOW COVID-19 HAS CHANGED THE FACE OF AMERICAN ACTIVISM This opens the way for political entrepreneurs to Conservative opinion leaders in the media, exploit the partisan divide. A group of conserva- too, have begun to lionise the protesters. Rush tive leaders, including some with links to the Tea Limbaugh told his listeners that “hunkering Party Movement of 2009, banded together in late down in total fear is not a hallmark of American April to form the ‘Save Our Country Taskforce’ history, or American culture”.31 Affiliates of the which is pushing for eased restrictions.29 Senior alt-right conspiracy bastion Info Wars organ- members of this taskforce have admitted that ised an early protest in Texas and its founder, they have been providing technical support to Alex Jones, addressed the crowd shouting protest organisers and have helped to promote “you can’t close America”.32 Fox News host the anti-lockdown demonstrations.30 Laura Ingraham, who has been meeting with Trump in the Oval Office during the pandemic, retweeted a video of protesters on 16 April with the message “time to get your freedom back”.33

Partisan media and alternate COVID-19 facts

Cable news viewership in the United States has If the general message of conservative media skyrocketed to all-time highs during the lock- continues to change in favour of opening the down, particularly in April.34 economy quickly, it will not necessarily mobilise Americans in the middle or on the left in the same The partisan nature of cable news in the United direction, though other factors may. However, States was already having an impact on how existing right-wing partisans may continue to Americans viewed basic information about the shift their views with the message of discontent pandemic in early April. For example, accord- emerging in these channels. ing to Pew Research, 56 per cent of Fox News viewers said the effects of the virus had been greatly exaggerated, while only 12 per cent of MSNBC viewers said the same.35 While ratings have surged, these cable channels still largely preach to the choir. Ninety-three per cent of Fox News viewers in the poll identified as Republican or Republican-leaning, while a mirror 93 per cent of MSNBC viewers identified as Democrat or Democrat-leaning.36

Online media consumption in the United States has surged as well, but it has disproportionately been directed to less-overtly partisan sources. Traditional bastions of right-wing sentiment like Fox News have seen only small increases, and these messages are not reaching a rapidly expanding base.37 Getty

UNITED STATES STUDIES CENTRE CORONAVIRUS AND PROTEST: HOW COVID-19 HAS CHANGED THE FACE OF AMERICAN ACTIVISM 9 Armed protesters at the “Michiganders Against Excessive Quarantine” rally in Lansing, Michigan, 15 April 2020 (Getty)

Staggered reopening will This exacerbates the trend for state-led policy exacerbate the politics responses to the pandemic to be strongly tied of the pandemic to the partisanship of the state’s governors and legislatures and less to rates of infection and States began announcing plans to reopen at public health considerations. varying rates in mid-April, with many coming into Conservative media support for the protests will effect in mid-May. Republican governors in states entrench the anger of those already protesting like Texas, Georgia and Florida expressed deep and will normalise the act itself for others. Presi- concern about the economic consequences of dent Trump has already seen protest movements perpetual lockdown and have moved quickly and as moments of political advantage to seize upon early to substantially reopen their economies, and amplify and not as opportunities to instil a despite the advice of experts and increasing rates sense of national unity. All these factors will play of infection.38 Democratic governors generally out as the November presidential election nears, have been more cautious, but have announced as infections and deaths rise, and as the disas- plans for gradual reopening, some of which trous economic consequences of the pandemic include county-based approaches.39 This creates escalate. a picture of the United States where some states and counties have “more freedom” than others. As such, the disparate policy responses across the country and intractable nature of a pandemic could serve to further embolden protesters.

UNITED STATES STUDIES CENTRE 10 CORONAVIRUS AND PROTEST: HOW COVID-19 HAS CHANGED THE FACE OF AMERICAN ACTIVISM PROGRESSIVE PROTESTS

What motivates progressive Linking progressive politics and progressive protesters? movements ignores the significant lag between the two. Activists are wont to point out that it can Generally, progressive protesters in the United take decades of struggle for their goals to be States are motivated by the notion of equality absorbed by progressive politicians. But crises — like liberty, another key principle present in can expedite this process. early American history.40 Unlike conservatives, progressives tend to prioritise the common good over individual freedoms. The government’s role COVID-19 has cleared the streets is thus to safeguard the common good, rather of massive progressive protests 41 than stay out of the way. President Trump’s The COVID-19 pandemic has hit during a signif- perceived violations of these values and the icant moment in progressive protest. Protests unapologetic manner in which he governs have in the United States markedly increased in the clearly motivated forces on the left. wake of the Global Financial Crisis and acceler- Definitions of what constitutes the common good ated after the 2016 election. President Trump’s can vary between (and even within) progres- election itself spawned several protest movements sive protest movements and civil rights groups UNLIKE CONSERVATIVES, depending on historical circumstance.42 Employ- and lit the fire under others PROGRESSIVES TEND ment rights movements, for example, have more longstanding. Accord- TO SEE FREEDOM AS A tended to extend this notion to the common good ing to GDELT data compiled COMMITMENT TO THE COMMON GOOD RATHER of members and utilise strike action as a stick for by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, THAN THE INDIVIDUAL collective bargaining agreements. By contrast, GOOD AND THE between January 2017 and civil rights movements in the 20th century like GOVERNMENT’S ROLE AS the National Association for the Advancement of January 2020, almost 11.5 BEING TO SAFEGUARD Coloured People (NAACP) take a universal view million Americans partici- THAT RATHER THAN of the common good and advocate the inclusion pated in more than 16,000 STAY OUT OF THE WAY. of marginalised people, relying on legal fights, protests — a scale of dissent legislative pushes, marches and protest. likely eclipsing that of the civil rights movement when adjusted for population growth.44 In fact, in The influence of these sways on the politics of the the first three months of the Trump administra- left in the United States can be readily observed tion, American protests — including those against in USSC’s 2019 polling. A majority of Clinton 2016 the Muslim ban and more broadly associated voters overwhelmingly supported government with the #Resistance movement — accounted for intervention to preserve elements of perceived roughly 40 per cent of the global total.45 common good, such as free tertiary education (56 per cent), a minimum wage that ensures no In 2019, the American left was a visible presence family with a full-time worker falls below the in the “year of global protest”, though notably poverty line (82 per cent), a decent standard of not at the scale of dissent following the inau- 46 living for the unemployed (61 per cent) and fund- guration of President Trump in 2017. The 47 ing for hospital visits for emergencies and opera- Women’s March had its third iteration, thou- tions to lower the costs for patients (74 per cent).43 sands marched with Swedish climate activist 48 Trump voters, by contrast, registered between Greta Thunberg in New York, Americans across 14 and 28 per cent support across all of these the country were outraged by reports of children measures. in prison-like conditions at immigration border camps,49 and various groups agitated for the

UNITED STATES STUDIES CENTRE CORONAVIRUS AND PROTEST: HOW COVID-19 HAS CHANGED THE FACE OF AMERICAN ACTIVISM 11 impeachment of President Trump and for the But in moments of economic calamity, many of release of the full Mueller report.50 Rallies were the goals of progressives of all stripes can quickly carried out around the country in opposition to a converge. The Great Depression gave rise to the spate of state-level anti-abortion laws,51 protests FDR’s New Deal and massive strike actions, and for stricter gun control measures followed a the Global Financial Crisis birthed the disarrayed deadly series of mass shootings and El Paso resi- but powerful Occupy Movement, the echoes of dents protested in the thousands against a visit which accelerated the fortunes of politicians like from Donald Trump following one such shooting Bernie Sanders who have since stamped their where the perpetrator drew on the rhetoric of the credentials on Democratic politics.53 president in his manifesto.52 Through the progressive lens, local, state and Many of the progressive groups prominent federal government’s role in a crisis like COVID- during the first years of the Trump administration 19 is to take the necessary steps to protect the have had to withdraw from the streets. It is abun- health of the community first, and then protect dantly clear that protests and marches now fall their economic wellbeing. Recognising this, the outside the scope of the common good. As such, most prominent progressive groups in the United these causes have suffered an attention deficit States have shifted their focus to prioritise the as the media pivots towards COVID-19 cover- immediate challenges of relief and recovery age and the spectacle of gun-toting conservative presented by COVID-19. protesters.

How prominent progressive groups have responded to COVID-19

Black Lives Matter March For Our Lives Black Lives Matter has pivoted to more urgently The closure of schools in many states has ceased advocating policy shifts to support prison popu- school shootings and neuters the prospect of lations, homeless populations and the unem- nationwide school walkouts. But the group had ployed — all groups in which African Americans already begun to move away from walkouts and are significantly overrepresented and which face marches since its first in 2018. While 2019 was a increased exposure to the fallout of COVID-19. big year for gun legislation protests in the United States following several high-profile mass shoot- The organisation likewise successfully peti- ings, the March For Our Lives organisation used tioned the Centers for Disease Control to aggre- the year to pivot towards lobbying for legisla- gate racial data about the spread of the virus, to tive reform and campaigned for increased voter inform the increased help black communities registration. Similarly, although the group was need going forward. These policy areas are not born out of a physical tragedy and led by those new to the movement but have taken on a height- impacted by the Marjory Stoneman Douglass ened importance during the pandemic. shooting, it grew most quickly online.

UNITED STATES STUDIES CENTRE 12 CORONAVIRUS AND PROTEST: HOW COVID-19 HAS CHANGED THE FACE OF AMERICAN ACTIVISM A pandemic does little to stop this kind of activ- Historic accusations of sexual assault against the ism, but it has influenced the immediate goals of presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden the group. Since the beginning of the pandemic, have surfaced in recent months threatening to March For Our Lives leaders have focused their split many in the movement from political cham- attention increasingly on the use of firearms in pions in the Democratic Party and Congress.60 domestic violence and suicides. At the beginning of the pandemic in the United States sales of Climate change guns and ammunition soared.54 The group argues these sales and the lockdown measures increase Climate activists have had significant difficulty the risk of accidental shootings, armed domestic cutting through. What has planned to be some of violence and the use of firearms in suicides. The the largest ever in-person marches on Earth Day group has also broadened its focus beyond guns in April ended up being broadcast as an under- 61 to encompass youth issues generally and joined whelming webinar. Swedish climate activist with Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren and Greta Thunberg’s weekly protests have likewise Democratic Congresswoman Lucy McBath to been moved online with diminished patronage. launch a digital initiative called “Our Power” in School Strike for Climate efforts are ineffective March 2020. when there is no school. Activists in this space are intensely concerned that climate change will be Women’s rights forgotten or deemed unnecessary spending. The leading climate groups in the United States like Movements like #MeToo and The Women’s the Sunrise Movement and the Extinction Rebel- March have likewise emphasised the increased lion are arguing that the incredible economic risk many women face during lockdown. Women fallout from the pandemic demands that the are more likely to be frontline and essential work- economy be rebuilt and geared green. Affiliated ers,55 more likely to have been made unem- experts have advocated what is being termed the ployed,56 and many more women than usual Green stimulus deal. This variation of the Green will not be able to avoid partners who present a New Deal is a detailed set of plans, infrastructure direct threat to their lives.57 Additionally, several investments, labour reform, housing initiatives states deemed abortions “non-essential” medi- and foreign policy positions.62 cal treatments during the pandemic, essentially 58 banning them. The Biden campaign has invited climate cham- pions to the table by way of what have been Motivated by these broad impacts, dozens of the dubbed ‘unity task forces’. Each has two chairs, most prominent women’s rights organisations one put forward by the Bernie Sanders campaign have banded together to form the “We Demand and one put forward by the Biden campaign. More Coalition”. The collective is pushing New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio- Congress for increased relief, more considera- Cortez, a champion of the Green New Deal, is a tion and protection of women at risk of domestic co-chair of the climate taskforce, and its panel violence, stronger state powers, more protec- includes Varshini Prakash, the co-founder of the tions for abortion and more expansive voting Sunrise Movement. rights.59

UNITED STATES STUDIES CENTRE CORONAVIRUS AND PROTEST: HOW COVID-19 HAS CHANGED THE FACE OF AMERICAN ACTIVISM 13 The unequal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic The left is mobilising, but not alone has laid bare and activated structural problems in American society, demonstrating clearly as Where possible, activists are also finding new Brown University’s Brandon ways to protest despite the restrictions. The THE POSITIONS OF Ogbunu writes, that “social Crowd Counting Consortium has reported more SEVERAL MOVEMENTS, distancing is social justice”.63 than 100 novel methods of mobilisation ranging PARTICULARLY THOSE from acts of solidarity like balcony applause for WITH A FOCUS ON An historic surge in unem- healthcare workers to acts of resistance like car HEALTHCARE, EQUAL ployment caused by a and boat rallies.64 But these lack the effectiveness ACCESS TO VOTING AND pandemic in a nation where of traditional marches that many organisers are ECONOMIC EQUALITY, healthcare is contingent ARE GETTING MORE used to. As such both progressive and conserv- MAINSTREAM AIRPLAY on employment for most ative activists are viewing the pandemic as a time THROUGH VECTOR will likely send the progres- for aggressive organisation. POLITICIANS THAN EVER. sive pushes for Medicare For All and green economic For marches, protests, strikes, lobbying and legal reform into hyperdrive. As such, while Washing- action, organisation is the crucial aspect. As the ton weighs the best options to pull itself out of developed world moves online, activists’ groups this crisis, the positions of several movements, will be throwing their resources into reinforcing particularly those with a focus on healthcare, their mailing lists, digital strategies and flexibility. equal access to voting and economic equality, Traditionally, such online activity might quickly are getting more mainstream airplay through flow into echo chambers, but the nature of this vector politicians than ever. crisis has pushed people into the digital space.65 For activists of any persuasion, increased digital literacy across the board will make organising efforts in the future significantly more efficient with larger payoffs.

UNITED STATES STUDIES CENTRE 14 CORONAVIRUS AND PROTEST: HOW COVID-19 HAS CHANGED THE FACE OF AMERICAN ACTIVISM COVID-19 COULD POLITICALLY ACTIVATE YOUNG AMERICANS

This report has shown that as it stands, there has to have protections in place. In fact, in early April, been mobilisation on a small scale on the right Americans 49 years of age and younger repre- across the country. But beyond the pandemic, sented 2.9 per cent of hospitalisations due to there is likely to be an appetite for larger-scale COVID-19,66 while 52 per cent of working-age social activism. Particularly since the civil rights Americans younger than 45 reported a loss of movement, social movements in the United income directly linked to it.67 States have predominantly been comprised As The Atlantic’s Anne Lowrey points out, many of the so-called “next generation”, who have millennials (between the age of 22 and 38) entered the most stake in what future movements are the workforce during a ‘once in a 100 year reces- pushing for. These are formative years for these sion’ and have been slammed by another just as demographics, they’re being offered a picture of they were finding their feet.68 Additionally, these the future that strikes many as unfair. are the generations that will be tasked with paying Millennials and younger generations are bear- off the vast majority of government debt. ing a heavy social, educational and economic It is a common assumption that young people burden while facing the lowest health risk during naturally lean towards progressive views. the pandemic. Disproportionate numbers of GenForward polling from the University of young people work in the informal economy, Chicago tracks the views of Americans 18-36 making them more likely to be the first to be on a bi-monthly basis, and its results consist- made redundant or have hours cut and less likely

Protesters are seen in New York City’s Battery Park as activist Greta Thunberg leads the Youth Climate Strike, 20 September 2019 (Getty)

UNITED STATES STUDIES CENTRE CORONAVIRUS AND PROTEST: HOW COVID-19 HAS CHANGED THE FACE OF AMERICAN ACTIVISM 15 ently support this claim. The polling released An unequal financial burden, an anti-globalisa- in February, as the pandemic was taking hold, tion stance and racially motivated arguments showed that majorities of young people across about the virus’ origin are already finding a strong racial lines in the United States strongly or some- conservative audience and show the directions what support a universal basic income, that the that conservative movements might take that government should guarantee jobs, and that could attract young Americans heavily impacted the super-wealthy should be taxed more.69 As a by the COVID-19 pandemic. There is historical whole, American millennials and younger gener- precedent, too, for increased receptiveness to ations are more receptive to arguments about right-wing movements in the wake of severe inequality in society and as economic hardship. The growth of the Tea Party such, the progressive causes movement after the GFC is an obvious example, FOR MANY IN THESE detailed in the section above but one working paper by the Federal Reserve YOUNGER GENERATIONS, could be seen to have been Bank of New York on the historical impact of a THIS IS THE SHORTEST POLICY PIPELINE THEY validated by the pandemic global pandemic has also found a direct corre- HAVE BEEN EXPOSED and their urgency increased. lation in the regional impact that influenza had in TO. WITH AN INCREASED Germany in 1918, municipal spending as a result But the progressive idea CAPACITY TO “FEEL” THE and then regional voting rates for the National of the common good can DIRECT AND IMMEDIATE Socialist Workers Party (Nazi Party) in the 1932 fall apart when it is as pain- IMPACT OF POLICY, and 1933 Reichstag elections.71 MANY WILL START TO ful to uphold as it currently THINK ABOUT THEIR seems to be. As such, there While they may not be taking to the streets in LOT IN NEW WAYS. are conservative pathways large numbers, for many in these younger gener- for developing movements ations, this is the shortest policy pipeline they as well. The same polling shows that there was have been exposed to. With an increased capac- already an impending sense of political loss ity to “feel” the direct and immediate impact of and streak of conservatism among young white policy, many will start to think about their lot in Americans before COVID-19. Nearly half of this new ways. In concert with the increased focus on demographic in February 2020 said that discrim- structural notions of the economy like “essen- ination against white people has become “as big a tial” and “non-essential” workers, stratification in problem” as discrimination against other races.70 society by age, as well as record levels of news It is pertinent to remember that the 2017 “Unite consumption, this crisis could politically acti- the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia was vate an otherwise famously politically lethargic overwhelming attended by young white men. demographic.

UNITED STATES STUDIES CENTRE 16 CORONAVIRUS AND PROTEST: HOW COVID-19 HAS CHANGED THE FACE OF AMERICAN ACTIVISM CONCLUSION

The COVID-19 pandemic will leave an indeli- Protesting at its heart is a political act. Many ble mark on the United States. While physical people are now experiencing the immediate marches may be out of the question for many, impacts of policy at the point at which they feel the COVID-19 pandemic has already done much most hopeless about their ability to provide for more to animate protest movements than it has themselves and their families. The president has to kill them. done nothing to assuage those who are agitated and to posit the health necessity of the actions. President Trump has amplified the volatility of By failing to offer this political cover, President conservative protests on several occasions. He Trump has laid the blame of any consequences at has directed them at his political enemies and the doorsteps of state governor’s mansions. With has leveraged them to defer responsibility for the vested interests and high-profile media personal- grievances of Americans during this crisis. ities lionising the bravery of these protesters, the For progressives, these economic consequences actions could continue despite eased restrictions and their unequal distribution demonstrates in the future. the need for extensive, economy-wide reform. The implications of such activation on either side The president’s actions and the very presence of the political spectrum could have grave conse- of protesters during a pandemic quickens the quences for the already fractured state of the view that he is endangering the most vulnerable American union headed towards a high-stakes people in society. While they do not see it fit presidential election. to protest on the street, progressive groups are aggressively organising and innovating during this pandemic.

UNITED STATES STUDIES CENTRE CORONAVIRUS AND PROTEST: HOW COVID-19 HAS CHANGED THE FACE OF AMERICAN ACTIVISM 17 ENDNOTES

1. In companion with freedoms concerning facing-risk-of-coronavirus-in-state-prisons.html religion and freedom of the press. 12. David Williams, “Health workers face anti-lockdown 2. Samuel J. Brannen, Christian S. Haig, Katherine protesters in dramatic photos, CNN.com, 21 April 2020. Schmidt, “The Age of Mass Protest: Understanding Accessed online: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/20/ an Escalating Trend,” Centre for Strategic and us/coronavirus-colorado-health-care-trnd/index.html International Studies, March 2020. Accessed 13. Michael D. Shear, Sarah Mervosh, “Trump Encourages online: https://csis-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/ Protest Against Governors Who Have Imposed Virus s3fs-public/publication/200303_MassProtests_ Restrictions,” The New York Times, 17 April 2020. V2.pdf?uL3KRAKjoHfmcnFENNWTXdUbf0Fk0Qke Accessed online: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/17/ 3. Keith Johnson, “2019: A Year of Global us/politics/trump-coronavirus-governors.html Protest,” Foreign Policy, 23 December 2019. 14. “Donald Trump urges supporters to ‘liberate’ states, Accessed online: https://foreignpolicy. encouraging protest against coronavirus restrictions,” com/2019/12/23/2019-a-year-of-global-protest/ Australian Broadcasting Commission, 18 April 4. Olivia Laughland, “Birx declines to criticise Trump 2020. Accessed online: https://www.abc.net.au/ and warns distancing will last months,” The news/2020-04-18/usa-protests-for-coronavirus- Guardian, 27 April 2020. Accessed online: https:// reopening-after-donald-trump-tweet/12160930 www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/26/ 15. Steve Almasy, Rebekah Riess, “Protesters pour coronavirus-birx-trump-disinfectant-remarks into Michigan Capitol calling for an end of state 5. Simon Jackman, Shaun Ratcliff, Jared Mondschein, of emergency,” CNN.com, 1 May 2020. Accessed Zoe Meers, Elliott Brennan, “Public opinion in the age online: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/30/us/ of Trump: The United States and Australia compared,” michigan-stay-at-home-protest/index.html The United States Studies Centre, December 2019. 16. Donald Trump (@realDonaldTrump), Tweet at 1 Accessed online: https://www.ussc.edu.au/analysis/public- May 2020. Accessed online: https://twitter.com/ opinion-in-the-united-states-and-australia-compared realDonaldTrump/status/1256202305680158720?s=20 6. Alexis de Tocqueville. Democracy in America, 17. Morgan Chalfant, “Inslee accuses Trump of Sanders & Oatley, London, 1835-1840. ‘fomenting domestic rebellion,’ The Hill, 17 April 7. Ibid. 2020. Accessed online: https://thehill.com/ 8. Ibid. homenews/administration/493404-inslee-accuses- trump-of-fomenting-domestic-rebellion 9. North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa and Arkansas did not issue orders: Sarah Mervosh, Denise Lu, Vanessa 18. The Crowd Counting Consortium is a crowd-sourced Swales, “See Which States and Cities Have Told Residents database of dissent in the United States. It uses manual to Stay at Home,” The New York Times, last updated 20 counts and estimation based on photos of events as well April 2020. Accessed online: https://www.nytimes.com/ as news and social media reports. With a large margin interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-stay-at-home-order.html of error, it is most useful in cases like these to show large disparities between counts; accessed online: https://sites. 10. The GDELT Project’s database uses machine learning to google.com/view/crowdcountingconsortium/home scrape and compile instances of protest with verifiable mentions in the media. Scraping media reports in such 19. Nate Silver, “Tea Party Non-Partisan Attendance a way means that the dataset is liable to missing smaller- Estimates: Now 300,000+,” FiveThirtyEight.com, 16 scale actions that do not garner media attention. By April 2009. Accessed online: https://fivethirtyeight. nature, the data is approximate and by no means a com/features/tea-party-nonpartisan-attendance/ completely accurate account of every instance of protest. 20. Jessica Vanegeren, “72 COVID positive after attending But it provides a worthwhile picture of temporal and large event,” Up North News, 13 May 2020. Accessed geographic protest trends. For an example of the dataset online: https://upnorthnewswi.com/2020/05/08/more- used on a global scale, see Samuel Brannon and Christian than-70-covid-positive-after-attending-large-event/ Haig’s already-referenced and excellent “The Age of 21. Jason Wilson, “US lockdown protests may have Mass Protest” report: https://csis-prod.s3.amazonaws. spread virus widely, cellphone data suggests,” The com/s3fs-public/publication/200303_MassProtests_ Guardian, 18 May 2020. Accessed online: https://www. V2.pdf?uL3KRAKjoHfmcnFENNWTXdUbf0Fk0Qke theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/18/lockdown- 11. For example: Malachi Barrett, “Protesters urge Whitmer protests-spread-coronavirus-cellphone-data to release Michigan inmates facing risk of coronavirus in 22. The COVID Tracking Project. Accessed state prisons,” MLive Michigan, 16 April 2020. Accessed online: https://covidtracking.com/data online: https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2020/04/ 23. Washington state was the site of the first major outbreak protesters-urge-whitmer-to-release-michigan-inmates- in the United States and subsequently had one of the

UNITED STATES STUDIES CENTRE 18 CORONAVIRUS AND PROTEST: HOW COVID-19 HAS CHANGED THE FACE OF AMERICAN ACTIVISM first and most severe stay at home orders; Maryland Sun, “34 days of pandemic: inside Trump’s desperate had an earlier and more comprehensive lockdown attempts to reopen America,” The Washington Post, 3 in place than other Republican-governed states. May 2020. Accessed online: https://www.washingtonpost. 24. Isaac Stanley-Becker, Tony Romm, “The anti-quarantine com/politics/34-days-of-pandemic-inside-trumps- protests seem spontaneous. But behind the scenes, desperate-attempts-to-reopen-america/2020/05/02/ a powerful network is helping,” The Washington e99911f4-8b54-11ea-9dfd-990f9dcc71fc_story.html Post, 22 April 2020. Accessed online: https://www. 34. “Cable news soars to record ratings during coronavirus washingtonpost.com/politics/inside-the-conservative- pandemic,” Axios, 29 April 2020. Accessed online: networks-backing-anti-quarantine-protests/2020/04/22/ https://www.axios.com/cable-news-ratings-coronavirus- da75c81e-83fe-11ea-a3eb-e9fc93160703_story.html 89a3722a-752b-4646-9db4-c58f0ce97c3d.html 25. Jane Coaston, “The private militias providing ‘security’ 35. Mark Jurkowitz, Amy Mitchell, “Cable TV and for anti-lockdown protests,” Vox.com, 11 May 2020. COVID-19: How Americans perceive the outbreak and Accessed online: https://www.vox.com/2020/5/11/21249166/ view media coverage differ by main news source,” militias-protests-coronavirus-michigan-security Pew Research, 1 April 2020. Accessed online: https:// 26. Carol Thompson, “Capitol building will be closed during www.journalism.org/2020/04/01/cable-tv-and-covid- Lansing protest because legislature won’t meet,” Lansing 19-how-americans-perceive-the-outbreak-and-view- State Journal, 13 May 2020. Accessed online: https://www. media-coverage-differ-by-main-news-source/ lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/2020/05/13/michigan- 36. Ibid. capitol-closed-during-coronavirus-protest/5183573002/ 37. Ella Koeze, Nathaniel Popper, “The virus changed the way 27. Sophia Barnes and Associated Press, “Maryland governor we internet,” The New York Times, 7 April 2020. Accessed says state will re-open in a gradual way,” NBC Washington, online: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/07/ 6 May 2020. Accessed online: https://www.nbcwashington. technology/coronavirus-internet-use.html com/news/local/maryland-gov-says-state-will-reopen- 38. Jack Healy, Manny Fernandez, Peter Baker, “Reopening in-safe-gradual-way-despite-protests/2291303/ Plans Across U.S. Are Creating Confusing Patchwork,” 28. Kristen Holmes, Kaitlan Collins, Eric Bradner, “Trump The New York Times, 27 April 2020. Accessed says he ‘strongly’ disagreed with move to reopen online: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/27/us/ Georgia — contradicting source who said he agreed coronavirus-governors-states-reopening.html with it,” CNN.com, 23 April 2020. Accessed online: 39. Michael E. Miller, Gregory S. Schneider, Fenit Nirappil, https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/22/politics/trump- “Northam confirms Northern Virginia likely to be excluded pence-georgia-governor-brian-kemp/index.html from initial reopening,” The Washington Post, 12 May 29. Fredreka Schouten, “White House-allied conservatives 2020. Accessed online: https://www.washingtonpost.com/ band together to support economic reopening,” CNN. local/northam-confirms-northern-virginia-likely-to-be- com, 27 April 2020. Accessed online: https://edition. excluded-from-initial-reopening/2020/05/11/2aa6255a- cnn.com/2020/04/27/politics/conservative-trump- 9399-11ea-91d7-cf4423d47683_story.html allies-economy-reopening-lobbying/index.html 40. Particularly evident in the Declaration of 30. Ibid. Independence, the preamble to the United 31. Rush Limbaugh Show 17 April 2020 transcript and States Constitution and eventually in the 14th tape, posted at: Media Matters Staff, “Cheering Amendment to the United States Constitution. protests against social distancing, Rush Limbaugh 41. John Halpern, Marta Cook. “Social Movements and likens risks from opening the economy to risks of Progressivism,” report for the Center for American fighting in world wars,” MediaMatters.com, 17 April Progress, April 2010. Accessed online: https:// 2020. Accessed online: https://www.mediamatters. cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/ org/coronavirus-covid-19/cheering-protests-against- issues/2010/04/pdf/progressive_social_movements.pdf social-distancing-rush-limbaugh-likens-risks-opening 42. See for example the splintering of the Women’s March: Liz 32. Lois Beckett, “Protesters decry stay-at-home orders Robbins, “How New York City Ended Up With 2 Competing in Maryland, Texas and Ohio capitals,” The Guardian, Women’s Marches,” The New York Times, 16 January 2019. 19 April 2020. Accessed online: https://www. Accessed online: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/16/ theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/18/stay-at-home- nyregion/womens-march-rally-nyc.html order-protest-lockdown-maryland-texas-ohio 43. Jackman et al, “Public opinion in the age of Trump”. 33. Laura Ingram (@IngramAngle), Tweet, 16 April 2020. 44. Global Database of Events, Language and Tone Accessed online: https://twitter.com/IngrahamAngle/ (GDELT) data in Brannen et al “The Age of Mass status/1250462822577975296?s=20 ; Philip Rucker, Josh Protest”: https://csis-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/ Dawsey, Yasmeen Abutaleb, Robert Costa, Lena H. s3fs-public/publication/200303_MassProtests_

UNITED STATES STUDIES CENTRE CORONAVIRUS AND PROTEST: HOW COVID-19 HAS CHANGED THE FACE OF AMERICAN ACTIVISM 19 V2.pdf?uL3KRAKjoHfmcnFENNWTXdUbf0Fk0Qke https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/ 45. Ibid, it’s important to note that this data includes article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30526-2/fulltext all protests, but the clearest correlations 56. David Uren, “The unequal burden of the COVID-19 are with left wing movements. labour market collapse,” The United States Studies 46. “2019: The year In US protests — in pictures,” The Centre, 1 May 2020. Accessed online: https:// Guardian, 30 December 2019. Accessed online: www.ussc.edu.au/analysis/the-unequal-burden- https://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2019/ of-the-covid-19-labour-market-collapse dec/29/2019-year-us-protests-in-pictures 57. Amanda Taub, “A New COVID-19 Crisis: Domestic Abuse 47. Marissa J. Lang, Samantha Schmidt, “Women’s March Rises Worldwide,” The New York Times, 6 April 2020. protesters in D.C. and across the country pledge it’s only Accessed online: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/06/ the beginning,” The Washington Post, 19 January 2020. world/coronavirus-domestic-violence.html Accessed online: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/ 58. Jessica Glenza, “States use coronavirus to ban abortions, womens-march-protests-set-for-saturday-as-organizers- leaving women desperate: ‘You can’t pause a pregnancy’,” pledge-its-only-the-beginning/2020/01/17/9a7186b2- The Guardian, 30 April 2020. Accessed online: https:// 3945-11ea-bb7b-265f4554af6d_story.html www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/30/us-states- 48. Anne Bernard, James Barron, “Climate Strike N.Y.C: ban-abortions-coronavirus-leave-women-desperate Young Crowds Demand Action, Welcome Greta 59. National Women’s Law Center, “Women Demand Thurnberg,” The New York Times, 20 September More of Congress to Face COVID-19 Recession,” 2020. Accessed online: https://www.nytimes. Letter to Congress. Accessed online: https://nwlc. com/2019/09/20/nyregion/climate-strike-nyc.html org/resources/women-demand-more-of-congress- 49. Elliott C. McLaughlin, Nicole Chavez, “’Close the camps’: to-face-covid-recession/?ms=homepagehero Protesters across the country demand an end to migrant 60. Anne Linskey, Sean Sullivan, “Allegation against detention centres,” CNN.com, 2 July 2020. Accessed Biden prompts reexamination of ‘Believe Women,” online: https://edition.cnn.com/2019/07/02/us/detention- The Washington Post, 4 May 2020. Accessed facilities-protests-migrants-close-camps/index.html online: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ 50. Neil Vigdor, “Rallies Spread on Eve of House allegation-against-biden-prompts-reexamination- Impeachment Votes,” The New York Times, 17 of-believe-women/2020/05/02/00741eb0- December 2019. Accessed online: https://www.nytimes. 8a5a-11ea-9dfd-990f9dcc71fc_story.html com/2019/12/17/us/impeachment-rallies.html 61. “Student activists from around the world hold 51. “New abortion laws prompt thousands of Americans 24 hour livestream strike,” Special Broadcasting to protest across the country,” Australian Broadcasting Service, 24 April 2020. Accessed online: https:// Commission, 22 May 2019. Accessed online: https://www. www.sbs.com.au/news/student-activists-from- abc.net.au/news/2019-05-22/thousands-of-americans- around-the-world-hold-24hr-live-stream-strike protest-against-restrictive-abortion-laws/11136676 62. Green Stimulus to Rebuild Our Economy, “An Open 52. Sabrina Siddiqui, Edward Helmore, “’Do something’: Letter and Call to Action to Members of Congress,” protesters greet Trump as he arrives in El Paso,” Medium, 23 March 2020. Accessed online: https:// The Guardian, 8 August 2019. Accessed online: medium.com/@green_stimulus_now/a-green- https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/ stimulus-to-rebuild-our-economy-1e7030a1d9ee aug/06/trump-el-paso-dayton-visit-protest 63. Brandon Ogbunu, “How Social Distancing Became 53. Emily Stewart, “Occupy Wall Street was seen as a failure Social Justice,” WIRED, 18 March 2020. Accessed when it ended in 2011. But it’s helped transform the online: https://www.wired.com/story/opinion- American left,” Vox, 30 April 2019. Accessed online: https:// how-social-distancing-became-social-justice/ www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/4/23/18284303/occupy- 64. Erica Chenoweth, Austin Choi-Fitzpatrick, Jeremy wall-street-bernie-sanders-dsa-socialism ; The response Pressman, Felipe G Santos, Jay Ulfelder, “The global to the GFC also notably birthed the modern Tea Party. pandemic has spawned new forms of activism — and 54. Ben Popken, “Gun sales rise as coronavirus fears they’re flourishing,”The Guardian, 20 April 2020. Accessed trigger personal safety concerns,” NBC News Online, 18 online: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/ March 2020. Accessed online: https://www.nbcnews. apr/20/the-global-pandemic-has-spawned-new- com/business/consumer/gun-sales-rise-coronavirus- forms-of-activism-and-theyre-flourishing?CMP=share_ fears-trigger-personal-safety-concerns-n1161926 btn_fb&fbclid=IwAR2mWUuYPyK_Zb9kQKlCjPupTo MkMIJ6imB7XRSXUc8oFOu-QvewHmC0WrY 55. Clare Wenham, Julia Smith, Rosemary Morgan, “COVID-19: The gendered impacts of the outbreak,” 65. Mark Beech, “COVID-19 Pushes Up Internet Use 70% The Lancet, 6 March 2020. Accessed online: and Streaming More Than 12%, First Figures Reveal,”

UNITED STATES STUDIES CENTRE 20 CORONAVIRUS AND PROTEST: HOW COVID-19 HAS CHANGED THE FACE OF AMERICAN ACTIVISM Forbes, 25 March 2020. Accessed online: https:// 69. GenForward, “2020 February — Toplines — Politics and www.forbes.com/sites/markbeech/2020/03/25/ the 2020 Election by Race and Ethnicity,” February 2020. covid-19-pushes-up-internet-use-70-streaming- Accessed online: https://genforwardsurvey.com/data/ more-than-12-first-figures-reveal/#2119c893104e 70. Ibid. 66. CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 71. Michael S. Derby, “New York Fed Paper Finds Pandemic 17 April 2020. Accessed online: https://www.cdc. a Century Ago Fuelled Nazi Rise,” The Wall Street gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6915e3.htm Journal, 4 May 2020. Accessed online: https://www. 67. Charlotte Swasey, Ethan Winter, Ilya Sheyman, “The wsj.com/articles/new-york-fed-paper-finds-pandemic- staggering economic impact of the coronavirus a-century-ago-fueled-nazi-rise-11588629945 pandemic,” Data for Progress, 9 April 2020. Accessed online: http://filesforprogress.org/memos/the- staggering-economic-impact-coronavirus.pdf 68. Anne Lowrey, “Millennials are the new lost generation,” The Atlantic, 13 April 2020. Accessed online: https:// www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/04/ millennials-are-new-lost-generation/609832/

UNITED STATES STUDIES CENTRE CORONAVIRUS AND PROTEST: HOW COVID-19 HAS CHANGED THE FACE OF AMERICAN ACTIVISM 21 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ELLIOTT BRENNAN Research Associate, United States Studies Centre

Elliott Brennan is a Research Associate at the United States Studies Centre. His work spans the breadth of the Centre but has focussed on progressive politics in the United States and youth mobilisation. He is a frequent commentator on US news and politics for Sky News, the ABC and SBS. He also writes regularly for The Canberra Times.

Prior to joining the Centre, Elliott was a journalist, editor, television news producer and digital lead. He also previously served as the Policy and Publications Director for Young Australians in Interna- tional Affairs — a non-profit organisation which aims to promote the voices of emerging leaders in the field.

In 2015, Elliott was the Australia Korea Fellow, a position jointly awarded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the University of Sydney. As part of this fellowship program, he worked at The Korea Herald in Seoul, where his writing was distrib- uted nationally. In 2015, he was also awarded the Korea Australia Community Support Scholarship for Young Journalists and he now acts as the inaugural co-president of the scholarship program.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Media & Communications) and was awarded first-class honours in History from the University of Sydney for his thesis on Australia-Indonesia relations during the Howard years.

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank Zoe Meers, the United States Stud- ies Centre’s data visualisation analyst, for her indispensable work on this report. He would also like to thank Jared Mondschein and several other valued USSC staff for important revisions, reviews, design, support, and advice.

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