Analyze / Trends

Protest trends

Protests were up 47% in Mar–May 2026 compared with a year earlier.

Trends use complete months only, through May 2026: the research record (Crowd Counting Consortium) is published a few months late, so counting the newest months would always look like a drop. Each issue is compared with the same months a year earlier, which keeps seasonal swings from looking like trends. Each protest counts once, under its main issue. About the data

Protests per month. Shaded: Mar–May 2026 and Mar–May 2025, the months compared.

• Immigration ▲ 421% 1,621 vs. 311
• Democracy & government ▲ 205% 8,983 vs. 2,948
• Economy & cost of living ▼ 87% 266 vs. 2,120
• Labor & work ▼ 69% 114 vs. 365
• Education ▼ 43% 247 vs. 433
• Civil rights ▼ 39% 427 vs. 698
• Environment & climate ▼ 34% 206 vs. 312
• Policing & justice ▼ 14% 309 vs. 358
• Foreign policy & war ≈ steady 2,287 vs. 2,463
• Guns too few 11 vs. 17
• Public health policy too few 1 vs. 11
• Reproductive rights too few 13 vs. 22
• Technology too few 21 vs. 11