4.2.2 Demonstrations

One common way individuals can influence a change in the law is by organising or participating in a public demonstration. A demonstration is defined as:

• a group of people who get together in order to encourage constitutional change.
• a gathering of a group of people to protest or express their common concern or dissatisfaction with an existing law as a means of influencing law reform.
• a collection or group of people who camp out in the streets of large cities in order to disrupt daily life.
• a gathering of people who gather in the street to share their common ideas and worldviews.

Pressure groups and individuals often organise demonstrations. What are pressure groups?

• A group of people who have a common interest in trying to influence changes in the law.
• A group of people who pressure others to agree with them.
• A group of people who put pressure on the media.
• A group of people who want to pressure others to vote.

Holly organised a demonstration of over 100 people to protest against the incarceration of young people in prison. The demonstration attracted a huge social media following and journalists attended the demonstration to report on it. Holly and the other protestors decided to block the corner of Flinders Street and Swanston Street in Melbourne, causing large traffic jams and outrage from the public. Which of the following factors will likely work against Holly’s demonstration influencing law reform?

• The social media attention.
• The reason for the demonstration.
• The public inconvenience caused by the demonstration.
• The reporting by journalists of the demonstration.

In assessment tasks, you might be asked to do the following in relation to demonstrations:

• Read a hypothetical scenario about a demonstration, and consider whether that demonstration will be influential in changing the law.
• All options are correct.
• Compare demonstrations with Royal Commissions in their ability to influence a change in the law.
• Read an actual scenario about a real demonstration, analyse it and discuss the ability of that demonstration to influence a change in the law.

‘Demonstrations can be __________ because they are single events that may not generate ongoing support for the desired law reform.’

• more effective
• less effective