Recent campus protests have drawn support from local legislators and unions, but the levels of student participation in them remain varied.
While some students believe protests are a strong approach to creating change, others have expressed skepticism about whether they are effective.
College campuses have historically been hotbeds of social and political movements. Over the past semester, activists have held protests at ASU regarding campus workers' rights, the war in Iran and the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
READ MORE: Democratic state legislators show support for protests on ASU campuses
Kyah Antolos, a sophomore studying psychology and family and human development and an officer of the Student Worker Alliance at ASU, said the members of SWA feel encouraged by protesting on campus.
"Protests are a really wonderful way to see the amount of people who are able to come out in support of an issue, and it's a really great way to be able to unify the student body," Antolos said.
SWA has been involved in recent protests alongside other groups, such as Students for Justice in Palestine at ASU and the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
Hayden Nguyen, a junior studying business and management and co-chair of SJP at ASU, said they believe protesting has historically been and continues to be an effective means of creating change.
While some may feel discouraged by a lack of participation in or results from protests, Nguyen said they are encouraged simply because protests happen.
"No matter if it's three, four, five people who show up, we're showing the student body that there are people who are willing to stand up for this issue," Nguyen said.
However, not all students agree that protests on campus have a significant impact. Jaden Washington, a freshman studying philosophy who was at a March 20 demonstration in opposition to federal immigration enforcement, didn't think the protest would lead to much change.
READ MORE: Campus workers union calls on ASU to bar ICE during rally in Tempe
The March 20 protest's main goal, to get ICE barred from campus, seemed unrealistic, Washington said. There could also be negative ramifications for the University if such a move was taken, potentially leading to a reversal.
"I don't think much is going to happen," Washington said.
Ronald McInnes, a junior studying computer science and data science, said he believes a "fatalistic" outlook on the effectiveness of protesting can prevent students from participating.
If students feel that there won't be many people alongside them, they may be discouraged from protesting, McInnes said.
Nguyen said he understands the frustration some students may feel regarding the results of protests. However, he emphasized the importance of continuing to participate in them.
"The people need to stand up and remember that at the end of the day, it's our country, it's our labor and it's our tax dollars," Nguyen said.
Natalia Scott, a sophomore studying medical studies, said the belief that protesting doesn't create change is a stigma.
"Protesting can obviously catch people's attention," Scott said. "It can spark a conversation, and especially if no one's getting hurt, we have the right to speak out."
Scott said "it's a gift" that students are able to openly express their beliefs at the University.
McInnes said that when protesting is sustained and garners enough participation, it can be useful.
"It's one of the only effective ways to push for policy change or to bring people to the table to even have a discussion like that," McInnes said. "Sometimes protesting is the first step."
Edited by Carsten Oyer, Jack McCarthy and Pippa Fung.
Reach the reporter at spkeelin@asu.edu.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on X.
