In 2014, after 27 years in power, Burkina Faso’s then president Blaise Compaoré sought to remove term limits so that he could remain in power indefinitely. While Compaoré had long functioned as a semi-authoritarian leader, removing term limits would have made a shift to democracy significantly more difficult. Sensing a unique (and fleeting) opportunity, the youth of Burkina Faso gathered together to lead a transformative protest movement which revealed the authoritarian nature of such a move and reframed a seemingly dire situation as an opportunity for the people to work together to make change by taking to the streets.

In a shock move in early December 2024, President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea declared martial law – banning all political activities, gatherings, and essentially any act of opposition to the government. While President Yoon’s authoritarian leanings were not secret, the abruptness of this development caught many South Koreans off guard. Nevertheless, they did not let the benefit of surprise undercut their opposition.

Far-right riots in the UK tried to spread fear and division, but organizers and communities fought back. Through counter-protests, rebuilding efforts, and mass mobilization, anti-racism organizers made it clear—hate will not go unchallenged. By the next wave of planned demonstrations, they had flipped the script: the far-right was outnumbered, and their violence exposed.