Have a questions about protest? Ask an expert!

The Burnet News Club gives you a chance to ask questions of experts on protest, and this term is no different!
WE AWARD STARS FOR THE BEST QUESTIONS ABOUT PROTEST- asking fantastic questions and listening to an expert's view are great examples of how to earn stars for our speaking and listening skills. We then pick 5 questions for each expert and publish their answers for you to see (see an example here!).
So, who have we got for you?
Peter Tatchell has been campaigning for human rights, democracy, LGBT+ freedom and global justice since 1967. The Sunday Times newspaper describes him as a “a national hero” and The Independent calls him “one of the most influential gay men of this century”. Read more about him here, and watch the video below where Peter talks about his groundbreaking work for LGBT+ rights (recorded in 2016). We're now running a competition to ask questions to Peter Tatchell - submit your entry here!
Kajal Odedra is an author and activist. Her book "Do Something; activism for everyone" is described as a "step by step guide to making positive change". Kajal is also UK Executive Director of Change.org who help more than 200 million people in 196 countries are creating change in their communities through petitions.
Robin Boardman is a co-founder of Extinction Rebellion - one of the protest groups you are learning about in your sessions. Robin has been a part of a number of civil disobedience campaigns in the UK, including a hunger strike against Heathrow airport expansion and coordinating the mass rebellion in London that led to the UK declaring a climate emergency in May 2019. See him interviewed on Sky News here.
Khady Gueye is a community organiser and activist; student and director of the Local Equality Commission, which supports black and ethnic minority groups in rural areas. in 2020 Khady has organised a Black Lives Matter protest even in the face of opposition from the local council - watch the video below. Warning - the video contains very strong language, but bleeped out, and personal accounts of racial abuse.
Monique Bouffle of Liberty. Monique is part of the team which gives the public legal human rights advice, and produce "know your rights" guides - which cover protest rights among other things. Monique was also the driving force behind the "know your rights" bust cards we have produced since June for people attending Black Lives Matter protests. Physical cards have been handed to thousands of protestors across the country, and you can see the digital version here.
Rob Harrison is co-founder and co-editor at Ethical Consumer.
Ethical Consumer provides the information and tools on the background to things people buy. For example, if a company tests on animals, or contributes significantly to climate change. This lets customers know if their shopping choices are having a good or bad impact on the world. Rob is keen to answer your questions about boycotts and how people can make a change by refusing to buy certain products. See Rob talk in the video below!
Add your question below, telling us who would you like to ask, for example:
I would like to ask a question to ...............
My question is.............
You can only comment once, but you can ask more than one question in that comment.
Comments (29)
06 Jan 2021
My question is too Kajal Odedra and my questions is
As an author and as an activist has it been hard to except that someone doesn’t agree with what you have written or what you have said.
my other question is for Robin Boardman and my question is Do you think the more that you protest/platform The more the government will hear your voices?
Great questions!
Thank you ovilia
I meant Katie
06 Jan 2021
My question is for the talented author and activist, Kajal Odedra!
Have you ever organized a protest and if so, could you tell us how your experience was.?
06 Jan 2021
I would like to ask a question to Kajal Odedra.
My question is, how does it make you feel when nothing happens after you've protested?
Thanks for your comment, modest_donkey. You asked Kajal Odedra what it's like if nothing happens after protesting. Can you explain what you mean by "nothing"? What would a protest resulting in "something" look like?
Am I allowed to uplevel this question and keep it as my own, if so, then :How do you feel if you protest and that protest does not have an effect on the society's feelings on that matter and how do you handle it?
06 Jan 2021
my question is
what was it like being the co-founder of extinction rebellion?
Are there any main qualities you need to be an activist?
06 Jan 2021
eager_reflection here,
I would like to ask Kajal Odedra:
What inspired you to write your book? How well do you think world leaders have acted towards large protests?
My question for
06 Jan 2021
Sorry, i accidentally posted my comment too early so here's the rest.
My question for Robin Boardman is:
Have you inspired a few other people to join in with your actions, and if so, how do you feel about inspiring them?
Thanks for reading.
Interesting question
But I think u can only enter in once
07 Jan 2021
My question is too Kajal Odedra and my questions is
As an author and as an activist has it been hard to accept that someone doesn’t agree with what you have written or what you have said and what inspired you to write your book? How well do you think world leaders have acted towards large protests?
My other question is for Robin Boardman and my question is Do you think the more that you protest/platform The more the government will hear your voices and Have you inspired a few other people to join in with your actions, and if so, how do you feel about inspiring them?
Thanks for reading.
I think one of your questions were mine
Great questions though
Please only ask your own questions, ingenious_independence. None of the copied questions will be accepted as this is against the rules of the Burnet News Club.
I didn't realised they were copied, sorry I just scrolled down to make my own the I thought of those.
07 Jan 2021
My questions to Kajal Odedra and Robin Boardman is do you think all protests are good and as per you,how could you stop violent protests
09 Jan 2021
My first question is for Kajal Odedra; what inspired you to become an author and an activist to help more than 200 million people and how do you feel about doing it.
My question for Khady Gueye; how does it feel to live in an are where no one apreciates who you are and what motivated you do stand up for all black people and start a protest called "BLACK LIVES MATTER"?
11 Jan 2021
My question for Robin Boardman is: do you really think civil disobedience protests are the most affective and right way to get your voice heard? If so, how do you think extinction Rebellion's protests are impacting society?
My question for Kajal Odedra is: with petitions some countries only count those who are citizens of that country to make a petition but what if you want to help that country through a petition? are there any other ways to help?
12 Jan 2021
When there is a protest that has police and you go their, do you think that having your voice heard is worth being the chance of being arrested?
Excellent question! I've given you a star for showing great curiosity.
12 Jan 2021
I would like to ask Kajal Odera about, how does it feel to be a author and a protester? And if you are thinking about making a book about protesting/protestors?
15 Jan 2021
My question is for Peter Tatchell. What do you do when a lot a people disagree with you and go against you and nearly start a riot? Would you prove them wrong and risk it getting worse or would you start persuading them why LBGTQ+ and more are worth more then people say or something else? Or, do you keep on proving them wrong when the government and police get involved so the people who disagree will change opinions because the government and police get involved, so you come out on top? And also, I have another question but this time it is for Kajal Odedra, What do you do when a lot of people ignore you and go for the bad-idea option of protest? Do you spread wide in the facts in your books? How does it feel inside when it happens?
19 Jan 2021
My fist question is for Robin Boardman, and my question is:
'Have you ever had a counter-group, and if so, how did you tackle them?'
I'm asking this because I think that it would be interesting to know what their motivation was if they wanted climate change to continue.
My second and final question is to Rob Harrison, and my question is:
'How did it feel when you knew that more people were choosing their products ethically with your help?'
I'm asking this because I think that this would have quite an impact on not only people's daily lives, but it also could have impacted your emotions.
Thank you!
reflective_artic_fox
Fantastic questions!
Thank you
20 Jan 2021
My question is for Peter Thatchell and my question is
Have you ever been despised or looked down at because of what your protesting for and if so how have you handled it and kept going ?
22 Jan 2021
My question is to Kajal Odeadra.
Do you often get people argue with what you say?
How do you persuade them to think what you think or do you just let them believe?
Why did you want to become an author and what inspired you to become one?
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