“Silence becomes cowardice when occasion demands speaking out the whole truth and acting accordingly.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

According to the famous Indian social activist and politician, I’m as yellow-bellied as they come.

It’s not because I don’t want to speak up, nor because I don’t have an opinion, but the most recent spate of protests has left me pretty disillusioned with our current state of objecting, when really, I should be focusing my disenchantment on those perpetuating the issues being protested against.

Be it grandmothers gluing themselves to footpaths, people attaching themselves to priceless masterpieces or those tipping milk on the floors of supermarkets, I’m sorry to say it, but my first thought isn’t to find out what their problems are – my first thought is who the hell is going to clean that up?!

I mean, I get it. You want your message heard and, in this picture-sound-grab meme-focussed world, doing something that will create ‘noise’ (and even better, viral noise) will get you on the tele, but pictures of yourself being loaded into the back of a divvy van whilst people on minimum wage sop up the spilt milk minus the crying, doesn’t really hit home to me.

And maybe I’m too thick, but did anyone else understand what throwing soup on Van Gough’s ‘Sunflowers’ had to do with natural gas and oil?

I tried to find out, but it was way down the bottom of one article when I finally read the activist’s quote: “What is worth more, art or life?”

With the other saying: “Is it worth more than food? More than justice? Are you more concerned about the protection of a painting or the protection of our planet and people?”

Fair questions indeed, but I’d hazard a guess most people pulled out around the second paragraph once they were told the orange dripping goop was tomato soup.

I’ll let the art historians debate what the marginalised van Gogh ever did to the environment especially given he actually used oils made from linseed plants.

You know what might have helped?

A hashtag!

#putoutyoursunflowers?

#putoutyoursoup?

Oh I know…

#lendmeyourear

For whatever reason, I’ve developed a filter that puts up a barrier when a protest causes pain to people who aren’t to blame. I’d listen more to these protesters if they did what they did, but then cleaned up their own mess afterwards.

I know it runs counterintuitive to the whole idea of protest, but there are alternatives to screaming and shouting obscenities at someone. You could sit down and have a proper conversation.

Understandably these people would argue that they can’t get the stage nor any forum to do that, but I’m still not sure tipping litres of milk over a supermarket floor or gluing oneself to the ground is doing that either.

I wonder how many people have changed their mind about a plant-based future after seeing a supermarket kid wipe over the deli counter? Or has that same vision actually garnered support for the protesters’ opponents?

I actually saw in many forums the reaction to their efforts swivelled into derisive claims of white privilege and sympathy for those going hungry. But maybe the milk-spillers are clinging to the adage that any publicity is good publicity?

Animal Rebellion protestors pour out milk in a Waitrose supermarket in Edinburgh. Photo: Animal Rebellion/PA Wire

“Nothing much will change unless those with the cash and in power are forced to take notice, embarrassed and inconvenienced,” might be the response.

I get it, but increasingly it seems it’s the ‘littler’ people and those just trying to do their job – or get to their job so they can keep up with those bloody rising interest rates – that are in the firing line of protesters.

I’ve marched in protest, I’ve signed petitions and watched on in admiration at those brave enough to challenge the status quo.

US quarterback Colin Kaepernick taking a knee against racism and police brutality in the US, the Black Lives Matter and MeToo movements were all incredible agents of change.

Perhaps it’s because groups now have so much more power to reach people through social media and social networks that our tolerance of how they go about it has also shifted.

Disruptive, but not destructive.

Rebellious, but not reckless.

I’ve probably whacked a great big target on my back for freedom of speech advocates. Some might declare they will not go quietly into the night, but I’m not saying they should do that.

Please keep speaking up, please keep being passionate, but let’s get better at doing it so more people actually stop and listen to what you’re saying, instead of being turned off by your methods or, even worse, having your causes hijacked by others.

Ali Clarke presents the breakfast show on Mix 102.3. She is a regular columnist for InDaily.