Creativity in protests: Thank you, dear youth movement

The police set up in front of the protesters in Paris and arrested them. With their protective shields in full gear, they form a wall. But the students are not deterred by them. Sitting in a crouch, they have formed a circle, a drum sets the beat and a trumpet plays, then they jump up and roar: “J’ai deux passions: la fanfare, la revolution”, “I have two passions: the band and the revolution”.

They bump into each other and jump through the mosh pit and then form a polonaise. You almost get the impression that they are celebrating a party and are not in a police cauldron.

Resistance can be so beautiful. The joy is more powerful than the anger, as if they were looking at the policewomen in the face with a broad grin and asking: How ridiculous do you actually want to make yourself with this large contingent?

The joy of protest is contagious. At home I consume the images, am hooked and would like to be on the street myself (instead I'm sick in bed). I see the videos of demonstrators in Leipzig holding hands and dancing with each other, of the “Orchestra of the New World” bringing classical music to the protest and playing both “Die Internationale” and “The Hanging Tree”, the resistance anthem from “Hunger Games”. They continue even as clouds of tear gas descend on the square.

It is a stark contrast to the images of destruction, violence and street battles that are otherwise particularly present in the media. Burning barricades click better. As long as politicians continually draw attention to the acts of violence, they determine the discourse about the protests.

This is not a new move: disruptive protests are often portrayed as something negative. This is currently happening, particularly from the right, by generally denigrating the diverse and heterogeneous group of demonstrators.

Of course, a protest against massive social injustices cannot only be peace, joy and pancakes. It takes anger and a clear view of the situation. But creativity and humor are also part of it. In this way, the protesters also articulate their demands and talk about themselves and their problems.

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The videos that convey the desire to get involved ultimately attract more people to the streets. The movement draws on Gen Z's pop culture elements. The Hunger Games references, the One Piece flag that has become a global symbol for youth protests, and the anthems they are currently writing invite people to join in.

They create access beyond classic left-wing structures and offer the opportunity to identify with the protests. Science fiction stories about how a rebel group defends itself against a dystopian world in the future have shaped our understanding of pop culture. Looking into the future feels just as devastating for many young people right now.

How beneficial these protests are! I think back to the last concert I went to with the rapper Ebow. That evening is about all the pain. Ebow raps about the shift to the right, exploitative working conditions, the increasing violence against trans people, perpetrators, racism and oppressed peoples worldwide. The audience is queer, a feeling of happiness and joy fills me; I know I'm not alone. I am grateful to the new youth movement for these moments.