UC Irvine Law Review

This Article traces historical patterns in systemic responses to protest movements along racial lines. It contrasts the militarized response to protests advocating for racial justice with the leniency shown towards predominantly White-led demonstrations, arguing that the different systemic responses to the Black Lives Matter movement and the January 6th insurrection illustrate the enduring impact of racialized policing and systemic racism in the modern context. It further advocates for non-reformist approaches that challenge systemic inequalities rather than perpetuate them. The Article concludes by urging continued collective resistance and the pursuit of justice in the face of entrenched power structures and systemic racism.