Over the last few weeks, while taking a break from my normal commute, I have found myself considering what you do when you find the outcome of democratic process unsatisfactory. While you may anticipate that this came about due to the brexit and Trump results it was actually promoted after an email exchange with a local councillor.

Now a simple reflection is that after protest, democratic participation has to occur. In the USA in 4 years time the electoral cycle will complete. In the UK brexit has no inevitable do over though the next general election may provide opportunity.

The query here though is, what happens between the protest of the past weekend and the conclusion of the respective election cycles. How do we empower the respective citizenry to realise that which is possible.

While marches and various other activities of protest have been undertaken in the past years we should reflect that, the Iraq war still happened, poverty was not made history, Occupy did not bring justice to the global financial system and climate change remains unchecked.

Perhaps the forms of protest used in these struggles turned out to be ignorable. Does that mean they are no longer valid? Perhaps more effective forms of protest can be identified? Forms that build lasting and sustaining coalitions without descending into deplorable reflections of that which they aim to oppose.

I hope to write further regarding possible forms of protest that could be considered.