Exercise 4: Documentary Reflection (Civil Disobedience and Environmental Change)

December 29, 2025 By: Emily Tithecott

To examine connections between past environmental movements and contemporary activism, this reflection focuses on recent concerns about proposed municipal bylaws that may restrict public protest, including climate-related demonstrations. A report by Capital Current discusses how several Ontario municipalities are considering tighter regulations on protests, such as permit requirements and location limits, which climate activists argue could significantly curtail environmental advocacy (Capital Current, 2024). While these measures are often justified as maintaining public order, they raise important questions about whose voices are prioritised in environmental decision-making.

My position on this issue is broadly supportive of the right to protest, particularly when environmental degradation and climate change are at stake. Environmental crises are long-term and complex, yet political systems frequently operate on short electoral cycles that discourage bold or preventative action. When formal political processes fail to respond adequately, protest becomes one of the few remaining mechanisms through which citizens can apply pressure and demand accountability (Capital Current, 2024).

The documentaries examined in this course demonstrate that civil disobedience has historically played a central role in advancing environmental protection. These films show that many environmental movements relied on direct action to draw attention to ecological harm when governments and industries were unresponsive. Activists were often portrayed as disruptive or extreme at the time, yet later assessments frequently confirmed the legitimacy of their concerns and the environmental risks they sought to highlight. As shown in these documentaries, disruption has often preceded meaningful policy reform rather than followed it.

A contemporary example that reinforces this historical pattern is the resistance led by Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs and land defenders opposing pipeline construction in British Columbia. According to Amnesty International Canada (2023), land defenders engaged in blockades and other forms of non-violent direct action to protect their territories and waterways. These actions resulted in arrests and increased police enforcement, drawing criticism from government officials while simultaneously attracting national and international attention to issues of Indigenous sovereignty, environmental protection, and consultation processes (Amnesty International Canada, 2023).

Civil disobedience does not always result in immediate legislative change, and it can provoke backlash, including stricter laws governing protest. However, both historical documentaries and contemporary reporting suggest that civil disobedience remains an effective strategy for shifting public discourse and exposing structural inequalities. When conducted non-violently and with clear intent, it continues to be a vital tool within environmental movements, particularly when institutional avenues fail to address urgent ecological concerns.

References

Amnesty International Canada. (2023). Canada: Wet’suwet’en land defenders face ongoing human rights violations. https://amnesty.ca/wetsuweten-report/

Capital Current. (2024). Climate activists fear new protest bylaws could curtail advocacy. https://capitalcurrent.ca/crossing-the-line-proposed-protest-bylaws-threaten-advocacy-climate-activists-say/