Global uprisings: Protests and movements which shook the world in 2024

Kenya's cost-of-living crisis, to martial law in South Korea. Here's a look at major protests that erupted across the globe in 2024

From unrest in Bangladesh to pro-Palestinian demonstrations on university campuses worldwide, 2024 was a year defined by protests that shaped the global landscape. Authoritarian regimes were challenged, the status quo was disrupted, and history was redefined. Here’s a look at the major protests whose impact reverberated across the world in 2024:

 

  Korea's short-lived martial law: Six hours that shook the country

  Earlier this month, South Korea was rocked by political turmoil and intense protests against President Yoon Suk Yeol. Yoon faced mounting pressure from several fronts: a deadlock over an unresolved Budget Bill, ongoing corruption allegations, and investigations into members of his administration. Claiming he was protecting the country from forces sympathetic to North Korea, Yoon imposed martial law on December 3 and deployed troops and helicopters to Parliament.

 

 

In response, hundreds gathered outside the National Assembly in Seoul to protest. Within six hours, Yoon was forced to reverse his decision as lawmakers swiftly acted to block it. The following day, protests continued, led by members of the Opposition Democratic Party, who had introduced a Bill to impeach Yoon. South Korea’s struggle with authoritarianism is not distant— the country only emerged from military rule in 1987.

 

Protests in Kenya against Finance Bill

 

Kenya’s 2024 Finance Bill sought to increase revenue by imposing higher taxes on essential products, including bread, cooking oil, and sanitary towels. Many Kenyans viewed the Bill as out of touch with their economic realities, as it added costs they could not afford. The protests, which began on June 18, were initially peaceful. The protests saw thousands of young demonstrators march in Nairobi and across the country. Tensions escalated when the Bill was passed by Parliament on June 25. Within minutes of the vote, furious protesters stormed the Assembly’s compound, setting part of the building on fire. In response, police opened fire on the crowds gathered around Parliament.

 

At least 55 protesters were killed, and 32 were arbitrarily arrested. After weeks of relentless protests, the controversial Bill was eventually withdrawn.

 

Anti-tourism protests in Spain

 

A wave of anti-tourism protests erupted across several cities in Spain, including Barcelona, Mallorca, and the Balearic and Canary Islands.

 

In July, demonstrators in Barcelona marched through tourist areas, spraying water guns at tourists while chanting "Tourists go home." Thousands also took to the streets in Mallorca, criticising the local tourism industry for benefiting only a small group while exacerbating poverty among workers. The protests were fueled by rising rental costs and property prices, making it increasingly difficult for locals to afford homes. Data from Spain’s National Statistics Institute showed that tourism arrivals continued to rise, with 10.9 million visitors in August— a 7 per cent year-on-year increase.

 

The top three most popular destinations were the very locations where the protests took place.

 

Protests against Bill tightening abortion laws in Brazil

 

On June 15, thousands of women in Brazil protested against a Bill that would equate abortion to homicide, even in cases of rape.

 

Demonstrators gathered in cities across the country, holding signs opposing the measure, which they called the most repressive attack on women's reproductive rights in recent years. Under Brazil's current laws, abortion is permitted in cases of rape, when the mother's life is at risk, or if a fetal brain abnormality is diagnosed. Outside these exceptions, abortion is punishable by up to three years in prison. The Brazilian government, led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's left-wing party, has strongly opposed the proposed legislation, with Human Rights Minister Silvio Almeida condemning it as "immoral." However, the legislature includes significant representation from former President Jair Bolsonaro's right-wing Liberal Party (PL) and other conservative groups.

 

Anti-quota protests in Bangladesh

 

Unrest against Sheikh Hasina's rule in Bangladesh erupted over a controversial government policy: civil service job quotas, which critics argued unfairly allocated government positions to specific groups.

 

In June, students took to the streets, demanding an end to the quota system. The protests quickly escalated into a broader anti-Awami League movement, calling for Hasina's removal from power. Economic factors, including high unemployment and stagnation in the private sector, also fueled the unrest. The government’s harsh response, using live ammunition, tear gas, and baton charges, only heightened public outrage. The protests spread beyond Dhaka to cities like Rajshahi, Barisal, and Chittagong, prompting the government to impose a nationwide curfew.

 

After weeks of intense demonstrations, which culminated in protesters storming her official residence in Dhaka, Sheikh Hasina resigned on August 5 and fled to India.

 

Protests in Argentina against President Milei’s reforms

 

Thousands of truckers, teachers, and workers gathered around Congress in Buenos Aires, urging senators to reject President Javier Gerardo Milei’s budget-cutting programme. The proposed measures, including pension cuts and the declaration of a state of economic emergency, sparked widespread opposition. As protesters attempted to breach fences and reach Congress, clashes broke out, with demonstrators throwing rocks at police, who responded with tear gas and water cannons. Chants of “Our country is not for sale!” and “How can a head of state hate the state?” echoed through the streets.

 

Despite the intense protests, the Argentine Senate narrowly passed Milei's sweeping economic reforms. Violent clashes ensued, with protesters throwing petrol bombs and setting cars on fire, resulting in multiple injuries. Milei, a self-proclaimed anarcho-capitalist, took office amid an economic crisis, with annual inflation nearing 300 per cent and over half of Argentines living in poverty. He has pledged to drastically reduce public spending.

 

Protests against the rise of far-right in France

 

Following the victory of Marine Le Pen's Eurosceptic National Rally in the first round of the French parliamentary elections in June, thousands of demonstrators protested against the far right's dramatic gains. Crowds gathered at the Place de la Republique, setting off fireworks and waving banners in defiance. The elections were held in two rounds, on June 30 and July 7. Despite a surge in popularity for the far right, it ultimately failed to secure a majority. In response to the threat posed by the National Rally, France's left, traditionally divided into numerous small parties, had earlier formed a new alliance, the New Popular Front (NFP), to prevent the far-right from triumphing at the polls.

 

Pro-Palestinian student protests around the world

 

In May, protests against Israel's military actions in Gaza took centre stage on university campuses worldwide. The demonstrations, which began at campuses in the United States, spread to the United Kingdom, Europe, and parts of Asia. Student protesters organised sit-ins, fasts, and encampments to voice opposition to the US's complicity in Israel's assault on Gaza. Within one month, over 2,500 protesters had been arrested in the US, with agitation and counter-protests on college campuses attracting significant media attention. Among the protesters' demands were calls for academic institutions to divest from companies supplying arms to Israel and to sever academic ties with Israeli educational institutions.

 

Protests against Georgian Dream party

 

Massive protests erupted in Tbilisi following the contested October 26 elections, in which the ruling Georgian Dream party retained control of Parliament. The elections were widely viewed as a referendum on Georgia's European Union (EU) aspirations. The Opposition and president have accused Russia of facilitating electoral fraud and have refused to participate in Parliament.

 

The protests gained further momentum after the government decided to put EU accession talks on hold. In response, the demonstrations were met with harsh repression, escalating tensions between the government and protesters over the country's future.

 

On December 3, Georgian police raided the offices of an Opposition party and arrested its leader in a clear attempt to quell the growing wave of protests.