The hottest Protests Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top World Politics Topics

Is this what catastrophic success feels like?

The Rubesletter by Matt Ruby (of Vooza) | Sent every Tuesday • 570 implied HN points • 23 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Protests
  1. Recent actions by the administration are alienating allies and creating international embarrassment, suggesting an erratic, ego-driven foreign policy.
  2. Proposed redevelopment plans for Gaza are tone-deaf and focus on flashy luxury projects while ignoring worker safety, local needs, and the human cost.
  3. Heavy-handed domestic enforcement, like the ICE actions in Minnesota, has provoked strong community resistance and shows how surveillance and force can backfire, highlighting rising polarization and authoritarian tendencies.

Activism, Uncensored: Border Patrol Operations in New Orleans

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 1508 implied HN points • 15 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Protests
  1. Local and state police are cooperating with Border Patrol in New Orleans and use tactics like blocking roads or slowing traffic to help agents move during operations.
  2. Activists are adopting tactics from other cities and try to shadow Border Patrol to monitor their movements, but those efforts have had mixed effectiveness.
  3. Noisy protest tactics like whistles and car horns can unintentionally help agents by revealing reactions that are used as intelligence, even though activists still manage to have some impact.

Forty Days Later, Iranians Honor Their Dead

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 204 implied HN points • 19 Feb 26
🌍 World Politics Protests
  1. Forty-day memorials are being held across Iran to honor people killed in last month’s demonstrations, a culturally important moment of mourning.
  2. Families are staging symbolic wedding rituals—like parading a wedding dress, lifting khoncheh baskets, and decorating cars—to mourn young lives and the milestones that will never happen.
  3. Those 40th-day gatherings are also acting as a new form of protest, and they could spark another wave of demonstrations fueled by grief and anger.

They Voted for Trump—and They’re Appalled by ICE

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 417 implied HN points • 01 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Protests
  1. Some voters supported a tough stance on immigration but are shocked by large-scale deportations and aggressive ICE tactics, which they see as unconstitutional.
  2. Individual supporters, including immigrants who voted for border security, are publicly protesting these enforcement methods, showing personal disillusionment.
  3. There’s a gap between promises of stronger border control and the real-world methods used, prompting unexpected backlash from the very voters who prioritized the issue.

Reza Pahlavi: Iran’s Reluctant Prince

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 394 implied HN points • 03 Feb 26
🌍 World Politics Protests
  1. Reza Pahlavi positioned himself as a potential leader during mass protests, calling Iranians to demonstrate and saying he has a lifelong bond with the nation.
  2. These protests were unusual because the economy was collapsing and the merchant class shut their bazaars, swelling the crowds, while the U.S. publicly signaled support for protesters.
  3. Despite his rising profile, many still question whether an exiled crown prince is fit or the right choice to lead a post-regime Iran.
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‘They Messed with the Wrong City’

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 394 implied HN points • 28 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Protests
  1. A Customs and Border Protection agent shot and killed 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti in South Minneapolis, leaving the community grieving and angry.
  2. Mourners and activists gathered at memorials and protests, with some celebrating what they see as a pushback against ICE while others remain scared and distrustful.
  3. Political figures, including Trump, say they are de-escalating the situation, but many residents still feel on edge and are demanding accountability for the killing.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali: Glastonbury—and the Purge of the Jews

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 6580 implied HN points • 29 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Protests
  1. The Glastonbury festival saw performances intertwined with strong anti-Israel sentiments, showcasing a loud protest atmosphere. Many attendees were actively chanting against the Israeli military.
  2. Some performers used their platforms to express controversial views, including calls for harm against Israeli defense forces. This sparked discussions and backlash across various media.
  3. The coverage of these events highlights a growing trend of linking criticism of Israel with broader social movements, raising concerns about how this affects perceptions of Jewish communities.

Iran’s Silent Revolution

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1029 implied HN points • 17 Dec 25
🌐 International Protests
  1. Many Iranian women are openly defying the compulsory hijab by walking without headscarves and doing everyday things like riding motorcycles, turning ordinary acts into a quiet revolution.
  2. The morality police and other enforcers are appearing less often, and that reduced crackdown has allowed more women to show visible dissent despite past violent repression.
  3. These everyday acts of resistance are culturally powerful, reclaiming rights and honoring a longer history of struggle even though the Islamic Republic remains in place.

Here's a Perfect Example of Why Matt Yglesias Should Debate Me

Freddie deBoer • 7116 implied HN points • 13 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Protests
  1. Critics often challenge prominent figures to engage in debates, which can help them address different perspectives. Debates allow for a more dynamic exchange of ideas, rather than just responding to fans or supporters.
  2. When discussing protests, it's important to recognize the moral motivations behind people's actions. Not waving the American flag at certain protests can stem from a refusal to endorse the government's actions.
  3. Simplifying political discussions by avoiding moral considerations can lead to a disconnect with the everyday concerns of people. Engaging with moral arguments is crucial in understanding why people feel strongly about specific issues.

Protestors Stage Die-Ins At Several Florida DMVs Over Trans Drivers License Ban

Erin In The Morning • 5011 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Protests
  1. Protesters staged die-ins at multiple Florida DMVs against the new policy prohibiting transgender individuals from changing their gender markers on driver's licenses.
  2. The protests were organized by various organizations in Florida and involved over 100 participants laying on the ground for 37 minutes to symbolize the challenges faced by transgender individuals.
  3. The risks associated with incorrect gender markers on official documents for transgender individuals include increased harassment and abuse, while correct gender markers are crucial for lowering suicide risk and supporting their transition.

CROSSPOST: SARAH JEONG: It doesn’t matter if Alex Pretti had a gun

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 284 implied HN points • 26 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Protests
  1. Public debate gets diverted to whether victims "deserved" their fate (did they have a gun, did they provoke it) instead of asking if law enforcement followed the law and used proportionate force.
  2. Federal agencies like ICE, CBP, and Border Patrol often escalate situations and use excessive or unlawful force, operating with little accountability and increasing public fear and protest.
  3. Civilians are held to stricter standards of restraint while armed, salaried agents face fewer consequences, and that double standard erodes rule of law and meaningful police accountability.

The perils of Totulism

Wrong Side of History • 446 implied HN points • 08 Jan 26
🌍 World Politics Protests
  1. Children have long been used by political movements and authoritarian regimes as symbols and recruits, from Revolutionary France to Mao’s Red Guards.
  2. Today a trend called 'totulism' sees schools, charities and politicians showcasing or recruiting children for causes like climate protests, immigration and welfare, breaking the old taboo against using kids in politics.
  3. This is worrying and often manipulative because children can be coached or used as props rather than expressing independent views, which is ethically problematic and potentially harmful.

CROSSPOST: SARAH JEONG: Best Gas Masks

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 238 implied HN points • 30 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Protests
  1. Tear gas is used routinely by authorities and often ends up provoking and punishing protesters instead of calming situations, turning crowd control into a tool of political repression.
  2. Ordinary people now have to buy and learn to use gas masks and respirators to safely exercise their rights, showing that protesting has become a risky, arms-length activity.
  3. Focusing on small, practical details like fit, filters, straps, and price makes the larger problem of illiberal policing concrete and reveals how thin the line is between policing and political repression.

Chris Hedges Live Documentary Q&A TODAY: Forging a New Movement for Palestine in Italy

The Chris Hedges Report • 81 implied HN points • 21 Feb 26
🌍 World Politics Protests
  1. There's a live Q&A today at 3:00pm ET about the new film 'Resistance 101: Forging a New Movement for Palestine in Italy'.
  2. Questions will be taken from the Substack comments and the live YouTube/X stream, so keep them direct and brief because long paragraphs won't be read.
  3. The post is public on Substack and invites subscriptions and sharing to support the work.

The Iranian Blood on Trump's (and Biden's) Hands

Nonzero Newsletter • 395 implied HN points • 17 Jan 26
🌍 World Politics Protests
  1. Trump’s 2018 withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and the harsh sanctions that followed, combined with Biden’s limited reversals, helped strengthen Iranian hardliners, deepen economic suffering, and contributed to deadly repression of protesters.
  2. Economic sanctions tend to backfire: they hurt ordinary people, fuel corruption and black markets, empower military elites like the Revolutionary Guards, and are both morally troubling and strategically counterproductive as a tool to induce regime change.
  3. Recent domestic events show political and media fallout—Trump’s vocal defense of the Renee Good shooting has lowered his approval ratings, and leadership changes at major outlets (e.g., Bari Weiss and potential Ellison influence) could shift how news organizations cover conflicts like Iran.

NYC Mayor Posts Misleading Tweet, Echoing Media Bias in Gracie Mansion Protest Story

Silent Lunch, The David Zweig Newsletter • 26 implied HN points • 08 Mar 26
📰 News Protests
  1. News outlets and the mayor used vague language that obscured who actually threw the explosive devices, so many readers could easily assume the anti-Islam protesters were responsible.
  2. Police and witnesses showed a counter-protester ignited and threw real IEDs at the rally, but that key fact was often buried or omitted in headlines and posts.
  3. How events are framed matters a lot: highlighting protesters' bigotry while downplaying who committed violence can mislead the public and wrongly conflate protected speech with criminal acts, so officials and journalists need to be precise.

Making Lemonade Out Of Don Lemon

Slack Tide by Matt Labash • 229 implied HN points • 31 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Protests
  1. Arresting a journalist for reporting on a protest is an outrageous attack that threatens the First Amendment and free press.
  2. People should resist erosions of liberty by finding moral courage and doing something every day, even small acts matter against abuses of power.
  3. Cultural solidarity—songs, humor, and support for protesters—helps sustain resistance, and you can contribute without becoming a street activist.

Guatemala Just Ran January 6th In Reverse

Persuasion • 3852 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Protests
  1. Guatemala recently experienced a successful pro-democracy movement against a corrupt political establishment.
  2. A largely-indigenous grassroots movement mobilized to demand respect for their votes and succeeded in getting the new president sworn in.
  3. The international community largely overlooked Guatemala's impressive defense of democracy, pointing to various reasons like lack of attention and conflicting support from different political factions.

Activism, Uncensored: The LA Riots

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 4113 implied HN points • 11 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Protests
  1. There are disagreements about the impact of the recent LA riots, with some saying it's a small part of downtown while others see it as a bigger issue. It's important to look deeper into what's really happening in the city.
  2. The media has been criticized for downplaying the violence, echoing phrases like 'mostly peaceful' from previous protests. This has raised questions about how events are reported.
  3. Local leaders, like the LA Mayor, are focusing on the idea that the unrest is limited to specific areas, suggesting it's not representative of the whole city. People are left to interpret how much this matters.

A Tale of Two Protests

Heterodox STEM • 227 implied HN points • 19 Jan 26
🌐 International Protests
  1. Iranians are staging large, sustained protests despite harsh repression, showing a deep and long-standing popular resistance to theocratic rule.
  2. The regime prioritizes ideological aggression, proxy warfare, and antisemitic scapegoating over citizens’ welfare, leaving the economy and services in collapse.
  3. Abroad there’s a stark contrast: many in the West support Iranian freedom-seekers, while others engage in performative or pro-regime protest, especially among some young activists.

Activism Uncensored: The Federal Takeover of Law Enforcement in Washington, D.C.

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 2095 implied HN points • 19 Aug 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Protests
  1. The federal government has taken control of policing in Washington, D.C. due to rising crime concerns. This includes deploying the National Guard to assist local law enforcement.
  2. Protesters are actively reacting to the presence of military and federal agents on the streets, showing diverse opinions about the situation.
  3. The event highlights the tension between federal authority and local activism, raising questions about safety and civil rights.

The American People Fact-Checked Their Government

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 162 implied HN points • 30 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Protests
  1. Governments can suppress and falsify records to minimize state violence and recast protesters as threats.
  2. Fast-moving video evidence now spreads quicker than official narratives, exposing contradictions in real time and making coverups harder.
  3. Public access to footage and rapid sharing lets ordinary people fact-check the state and push back against rewritten histories, increasing accountability.

Are These Mothers Starting a Revolt in England?

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 2128 implied HN points • 04 Aug 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Protests
  1. Mothers in Epping are protesting against the placement of male asylum seekers in their local hotel, feeling it puts their children at risk. They are particularly upset about a recent case involving the assault of a local girl by an asylum seeker.
  2. The protests have gained attention and support from locals, with many chanting for action to protect their community's children. There is a clear division in the community with some supporting the asylum seekers while others strongly oppose their presence.
  3. The situation highlights a growing tension between local concerns over safety and the broader issue of asylum seekers in the UK. It also shows how these issues can lead to conflict and escalate tensions within the community.

Activism, Uncensored: Christopher Columbus and Stephen Colbert

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 2297 implied HN points • 24 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Protests
  1. A tweet from 2020 sparked a big debate about Christopher Columbus, especially among Italian-Americans who see him as a symbol of pride.
  2. People protested against a politician named Mamdani due to his opinions on Columbus statues and his proposed policies in NYC.
  3. There was also a protest against CBS for cancelling Stephen Colbert, where some people expressed concerns about free speech and censorship.

Why Jonathan Ross was legally justified in shooting Renée Good

eugyppius: a plague chronicle • 230 implied HN points • 12 Jan 26
📰 News Protests
  1. The shooting of Renée Good is presented as legally justified because an officer facing a motorist driving toward him in a large, heavy vehicle can reasonably use deadly force.
  2. The broader context of dangerous, provocative protests—including motorists threatening officers—creates situations where police must have latitude to use lethal force for their safety.
  3. Many rebuttals and pseudo-forensic analyses miss or misstate the legal and practical point, but a finding of legal justification doesn’t erase the tragedy or make the outcome morally satisfying.

Activism, Uncensored: Alligator Alcatraz

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 2053 implied HN points • 05 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Protests
  1. Alligator Alcatraz is a new immigration detention center in Florida designed to hold over 3,000 illegal immigrants. It's built quickly on an old airstrip in the Everglades.
  2. Florida Republicans are using the facility to raise money by selling Alligator Alcatraz merchandise, which has caused mixed reactions from the public.
  3. The facility has sparked significant political debate and protests, highlighting different opinions on immigration issues in the state.

TGIF: ICE Raid on Aisle 4

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 2253 implied HN points • 13 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Protests
  1. Protests in Los Angeles have become chaotic as people express anger over immigration policies. Some are protesting while others are looting, which complicates the message they want to send.
  2. Despite the dramatic actions, many feel that burning cars and vandalizing shops isn't an effective way to communicate their frustration. It's causing harm to the very community they're trying to support.
  3. There are plans for meetups and events around the country for those interested in independent journalism. This could be a great chance to connect with others who share similar interests.

Guest post: Iran

Random Minds by Katherine Brodsky • 154 implied HN points • 19 Jan 26
🌍 World Politics Protests
  1. Long-term political repression and a collapsing economy have pushed many Iranians past the point of fear, sparking large, sustained protests led by women and young people. People are risking arrest, injury, and death because daily survival and dignity have been stripped away.
  2. The regime holds power through violence, information control, and an IRGC-run economic empire, but those pillars are weakening as inflation soars and social trust erodes; if security forces fracture, the regime’s hold could quickly unravel.
  3. External pressure can influence outcomes, but real change will come when internal legitimacy collapses and insiders refuse to repress; many Iranians and the diaspora want a secular, democratic future and are seeking symbols and leaders to guide a transition.

Betrayal, Refusal, and the Yes that Follows

Charles Eisenstein • 12 implied HN points • 09 Mar 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Protests
  1. A leader who campaigned against endless wars has instead escalated conflict, risking catastrophic violence and eroding American global influence.
  2. Traditional protests alone may not be enough; coordinated economic actions like boycotts, debt strikes, and mass financial withdrawals can quickly pressure institutions and governments, and they require organization, timing, and collective courage.
  3. Any mass refusal should reject vengeance and dehumanization and instead build a new "yes" grounded in dignity, consent, and equal human worth for all.

Sorry Centrists. Americans Want to Abolish ICE

JoeWrote • 162 implied HN points • 14 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Protests
  1. Public support for abolishing ICE has surged recently, with multiple polls showing growing backing and independents trending toward abolition.
  2. Centrist think tanks are using selective polling questions and media framing to argue abolition is politically risky and to steer the conversation toward preserving existing institutions.
  3. Abolishing ICE is presented as both a moral and political opportunity that could increase feelings of public safety and shift party politics, which explains why establishment actors resist it.

Getting past the 2010s

Noahpinion • 10882 implied HN points • 29 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Protests
  1. Past unrest can quickly transition to peaceful societies, as seen in Japan's history from protests to tranquil consumerism.
  2. Self-immolation can be a form of political protest, often linked to specific causes like Tibetan resistance or land seizures by governments.
  3. Individuals may passionately fight for extremist causes, willing to die for their beliefs, even if they are not considered mentally ill.

Why people are burning Waymos

Taylor Lorenz's Newsletter • 1881 implied HN points • 09 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Protests
  1. Waymo vehicles were burned during protests in Los Angeles, showing strong feelings about immigration issues. People were angry enough to damage these self-driving cars as a form of expression.
  2. The situation highlights a growing connection between technology and social movements. It reflects how tech can be involved in protests and public sentiments.
  3. Various groups, including tech people and the media, reacted to these events on social media. This shows how quickly information spreads and the importance of online platforms in shaping narratives.

Josh Dehaas: The police can't just declare an overpass a Charter-free zone

The Line • 1513 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Protests
  1. Police tend to underreact to illegality at protests initially, then they overreact when the public gets frustrated.
  2. Enforcing laws against illegal actions of protesters from the start is important to prevent overreactions and protect constitutional rights.
  3. Blanket bans on protests by police can violate freedom of assembly and expression protected by the Charter.

Right wing creators are dominating L.A. protest coverage

Taylor Lorenz's Newsletter • 1761 implied HN points • 11 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Protests
  1. Right wing creators are playing a big role in covering protests in Los Angeles. They're shaping how these events are viewed and discussed online.
  2. Elon Musk recently had a falling out with Trump after supporting him for a long time. Musk's relationship with the MAGA movement is now uncertain.
  3. The break between Musk and Trump shows how tech and politics can conflict, highlighting the changing dynamics in these worlds.

Chartbook 390 Beyond LA: Logics of escalation from Black Lives Matter (2020) to "No Kings" (June 14 2025)

Chartbook • 1630 implied HN points • 10 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Protests
  1. Protests are increasing in LA due to a heavy military response to immigration issues. This creates a tense environment that could escalate further.
  2. The Trump administration is focusing on a confrontational approach to gather support from his base. They aim to use fear and division to unify and rally their followers.
  3. Upcoming events, like the planned 'No Kings' protests on June 14, show a deep divide in America and indicate that tensions could spread beyond LA.