[nirimda]

The point of a protest is (in a liberal authoritarian state) to change a policy or (in a democracy) to change public opinion. The mechanism is by being disruptive. But they've been so singularly useless at changing public opinion that some delusional people have concluded that the disruption is the point. It's almost certain that some mainstream electoral activity like door knocking would be more effective at changing the minds of people who disagree with you, but this is frowned upon because it involves treating those who disagree with you as a potential ally to be won over instead of a foe to be cowed.