Buzz
It would take living in a completely sealed off, sensory-deprived environment to be unaware of the widespread frustration that has taken over society globally. This frustration has been building for over a decade, but it seems we're reaching the peak of its intensity now. If this isn't the height of societal unrest, I dread to think where it will lead us next!
The deep divides over President Trump's election and governance, climate change, globalization, and even the fundamental right to free speech have all contributed to escalating social anxiety—one that now teeters on the brink of mass hysteria. With this anxiety, we are witnessing an uptick in both the frequency and severity of public protests.
Note: The last image in this collection may not be suitable for a work environment.
10. Peanut Butter on Cars
While driving past what she believed to be a pro-Trump rally in Wisconsin, Christina Ferguson had a creative idea: smear peanut butter on the cars of the Trump supporters. Possibly intoxicated, she entered the event, shouted insults at the attendees, and then proceeded to spread low-salt smooth peanut butter across about 30 cars parked outside. However, it turned out the event was actually a meeting for a local environmental conservation group, who were not thrilled by the political vandalism, even though it was aimed at others. When the police caught up with Miss Ferguson, she was licking her fingers in defiance, denying her involvement. Upon being informed that the group wasn’t pro-Trump, she confessed and explained it was due to her love for Hillary Clinton and her disdain for Donald Trump.
9. Palestinian Blue Protesters
In a bid to draw attention to their stance on the Palestinian/Israeli border wall, Palestinian protesters donned blue makeup and wore Na'vi costumes from the movie Avatar. They saw the wall as an Israeli land grab, feeling their struggle mirrored that of the fictional Na'vi race. In retaliation, the Israeli authorities responded by deploying tear gas against the demonstrators. Needless to say, the protest did not yield the desired outcome for the 'blue people'. The film Avatar, released in 2009, quickly surpassed Titanic as the highest-grossing film in history.
8. Barnyard Protests
In 2009, in response to the falling prices of dairy products and the European Union's increased quota limits, farmers drove their machinery into Brussels to protest. Along with hurling eggs and other farm produce at the police, they set hay and tires ablaze. But the most unusual aspect of the protest involved milk cannons. Before arriving in the city, millions of liters of milk were spilled into the fields. This was not the first time farmers have staged such a dramatic protest in the city, and it is unlikely to be the last—at least not until Brussels shuts its doors when the last country exits the union.
7. The Scrotum Protest
It’s hard to put this in a way that sounds decent, but here it is: Pyotr Pavlensky, a Russian performance artist, made a shocking protest by nailing his testicles to the cobblestones in Moscow’s Red Square. The act was meant to protest the Russian government's crackdown on political dissent. Pavlensky has also sewn his lips shut and wrapped himself naked in barbed wire, all in the name of protest. Unsurprisingly, his extreme acts have gone largely unnoticed. In an unexpected turn, fast food giant and activist brand Burger King decided to commemorate his stunt with two custom burgers: one with a burnt bun (symbolizing an arson incident Pavlensky staged) and another featuring an egg and a spike through it.
6. #TrumpCup
5. The Thailand Blood Protest
In 2010, supporters of Thailand’s deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra carried out a disturbing protest: they dumped 264 gallons (1,000 liters) of human blood outside the government house. Nurses took a few teaspoons of blood from each protestor, which were then mixed and poured onto the ground in an act that was not only visually horrifying but also highly risky from a health standpoint. The protest drew criticism from the Red Cross, which decried it as unhygienic and wasteful, suggesting that the blood could have been used for more practical purposes. Medical specialists had to carry out the clean-up and disinfect the area afterward.
4. The Extinction Rebellion Red Movement
Resembling something straight out of Stanley Kubrick’s *Eyes Wide Shut* mixed with *The Handmaid’s Tale*, Extinction Rebellion is a protest group predominantly composed of middle-aged individuals. Founded in 2018 by two British activists focused on environmental and animal rights, the group’s main goal is to engage in civil disobedience to pressure governments into taking action to prevent climate change, reduce consumerism, and, ironically, avoid the collapse of society. Their logo, eerily reminiscent of fascist symbolism, features a circled hourglass, symbolizing the idea that time is running out.
The group’s ‘Red’ factions have participated in several anti-capitalist or anti-consumerism protests, such as the Black Friday demonstration in Vancouver, where they paraded a coffin through the streets to protest materialism—though, ironically, the protestors carried red robes, black coffins, and iPhones to tweet about their cause. In another stunt, they used a firetruck to spray hundreds of gallons of fake blood at the UK Treasury building, presumably as a protest against money itself.
3. The Laser Butt Protest
A performance group known as the *Young Boy Dancing Group* is ‘challenging gender and sexuality’ by gyrating on the floor with laser lights shining from their behinds. Yes, this is real, and, no, I can’t quite believe I’m typing this. It’s 2019, and this is the reality we find ourselves in. While the exact aim of the group remains unclear, they are certainly making an impression with their unconventional protest.
A reporter present at one of the performances described it as follows: “The performance quickly descended into utter chaos, with participants flailing wildly, creating a mosh pit, and running amok to a slowed-down, frantic dance remix of Enya’s 'Only Time.' [. . . You] haven’t truly experienced life until you’ve seen fluorescent laser light refracting off a disco ball in a thousand directions, with the source being a man’s backside.”
2. Golden Showers
Heather Cassils, a female-to-male transgender performance artist and personal trainer from Canada, became inspired to start collecting urine from his golden shower activities after hearing about President Trump’s decision to overturn Obama’s trans-bathroom guidelines. He filled a 200-gallon tank at the Ronald Feldman Gallery with this urine as both an art piece and a protest. The performance has received both widespread media attention and numerous international accolades. It has been described as 'brave' and 'powerful.' Heather also collaborates with a group called the Toxic Titties and appeared in Lady Gaga's music video for 'Telephone.'
1. Glued To The Street
Here’s another one from the Extinction Rebellion Group! With the aim of pushing politicians to adopt the policies they’ve designed to reduce carbon emissions, members of the group took to the streets of London, gluing themselves to roads, banks, and trains. Their goal was to block roads and bridges to cause maximum disruption. While they succeeded in inconveniencing the public, their protests were largely ignored by those in power. A total of 135 protestors were arrested in London, with another 30 arrested in New Zealand. None were charged, so we can expect more of these actions in the future—unless the protesters win Darwin Awards, which, surprisingly, hasn’t happened yet.
