My DM and DSIS live very near one of the protests and rolled their eyes heavily as did everyone else. The protesters are harming their own cause as they so often do.
DM very rarely eats in Mcd just because it's not her taste but they ate there today partly out of bloody mindness and heard several conversations that indicated a few people had done the same. I did have to smile that the protest seemed to increase meat consumption today 
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I fully support social change and the right t protest but its remarkably common that their behaviour is so ridiculous it damages their message. I'm in a seaside town and not so long ago some Stop Animal Testing protestors started in the town.
The first lot wore scary pigs masks and played videos loudly of horrific scenes (truly disturbing) fortunately I saw them far enough away I could divert DC. However I heard on the grapevine they had come up against several unimpressed parents with sobbing children. They swiftly moved on that day because as lovely and sunny as the town seems it has a remarkably rough edge and pissing off the locals by scaring the DC is unwise.
A little while later they were stood again with a banner (less graphic and they lost the idiotic pigs heads ) and DS1 who is ASD read the banner and stopped and asked me about it. I believe in giving an even handed explanation so he can decide where he stands for himself so was in the middle of giving a (granted ASD contextualised) explanation when the what appeared to be 12 year old (was probably in her twenties ) decided to butt in (we were standing back away from them) and start telling DS1 that I was wrong and wanted to hurt animals and wanted to torture them in graphic disgusting language. Clearly she thought she was fighting the grizzled old authoritarian oppressor (as ib me the 41 year old mum standing there).
That did not end well...for her. I have less than no guilt telling a jumped up little idiot who has nothing better to do and no tangible positive impact on society to pipe down.
I didn't even have to get the local police who patrol because another parent did after seeing this. As I was trying to get DC away they turned up and stepped in for me (very much on my side).
To be fair it reminded me of how supportive the area can be as two of the local well known slightly dodgier locals came over. One handed the dc their chips. The other let DC stroke their dog and had a chat about its favourite toys.
Protest all you like, try to change the world if you wish I applaud it. But so often the protests are simply to reaffirm to themselves their superiority to others and fill some wierd emotional void because they think so little of themselves. They need to have therapy at home and not impact the community.