Protest Policing Through the Lens of Intersectionality: Zooming in on Roadblock Protests by Extinction Rebellion in the Netherlands

Protest Policing Through the Lens of Intersectionality: Zooming in on Roadblock Protests by Extinction Rebellion in the Netherlands Over the past 15 years, the number of demonstrations worldwide has more than tripled. Policing tactics have undergone equal transformation, with a growing reliance on technology in protest policing which has now entered the latest stage with the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI). An expanding body of research has begun to shed light on the “chilling” effects of such surveillance technologies, which may deter activists from exercising their fundamental rights to protest due to fears of potential repercussions that may follow. Intersectional analyses have however remained limited. This article seeks to fill this gap by examining the 2023 Extinction Rebellion protests in The Hague, Netherlands, using an intersectional methodology that considers interplay of social categories and power systems, to provide a deeper insight into how these dynamics may shape individuals’ vulnerabilities (or resilience) to technologies at protests. The findings reveal that the chilling effect of surveillance is not a uniform phenomenon; rather, it is a consequence of pre-existing social inequalities and power dynamics that shape individuals’ experiences – long before the question of a “chilling effect” even arises. This perspective challenges a purely legalistic understanding of surveillance-related chilling effects, which oversimplifies and homogenizes AI experiences. This calls for greater attention to identity factors, the (lack of) capital tied to these identities and the power systems at play in protest policing, and recommends practice to further the conversation on ethical implications of technology and AI at protests in a holistic manner, emphasizing both social and epistemic inclusion.