Why this matters
Disruptive protest is one of the most contested tactics in social movements. Critics point to immediate public backlash as evidence that radical actions damage their cause. But almost all existing research measures only short-term effects - leaving the long-term picture, where movements actually win or lose, largely unstudied.
What we found
Immediately after the protest, people more aware of it held more negative views on animal welfare - a clear backlash effect. Six months later, those negative associations had disappeared. Cross-sectional comparisons of separate representative samples showed overall positive shifts on several measures, including stronger agreement that society has a broken relationship with animals. The protest also triggered a sharp spike in media coverage and a surge in donations and sign-ups to Animal Rising.
What it means for the movement
Initial backlash from disruptive protest may be a short-term setback rather than a lasting cost. The findings suggest activists and funders should not be deterred by immediate negative reactions, and that researchers should be cautious about studies measuring only short-term effects - they may be capturing fleeting emotional reactions rather than real attitudinal shifts.
Read the full report
The findings above are a summary. The full report, including methodology and supporting evidence, is available on socialchangelab.org.
Read the paper