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Take to the streets while the weather is fine Take to the streets while the weather is fine
(30 days later)
Soaring temperatures in the UK last week were accompanied by rising tempers. A number of disturbances, including violence erupting from a spontaneous water fight in Hyde Park, London, last Wednesday, led to Scotland Yard deploying more police officers on the streets to dampen down further outbreaks. Very hot weather and aggressive behaviour are well known for going hand in hand, but a new study shows that fine weather also encourages uprisings of discontent.Soaring temperatures in the UK last week were accompanied by rising tempers. A number of disturbances, including violence erupting from a spontaneous water fight in Hyde Park, London, last Wednesday, led to Scotland Yard deploying more police officers on the streets to dampen down further outbreaks. Very hot weather and aggressive behaviour are well known for going hand in hand, but a new study shows that fine weather also encourages uprisings of discontent.
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Tony Zhang, from the University of Toronto, analysed more than 7,000 protest events occurring in Washington DC and New York City between 1960 and 1995, and assessed the weather conditions during each event. Writing in the journal Weather, Climate and Society he shows that social movements were more likely to happen on “good” days (mid-range temperatures and little rain), and that violence increased as temperatures rose. But curiously, fine weather appears to have mattered less in more recent times.Tony Zhang, from the University of Toronto, analysed more than 7,000 protest events occurring in Washington DC and New York City between 1960 and 1995, and assessed the weather conditions during each event. Writing in the journal Weather, Climate and Society he shows that social movements were more likely to happen on “good” days (mid-range temperatures and little rain), and that violence increased as temperatures rose. But curiously, fine weather appears to have mattered less in more recent times.
For the period 1960 to 1977 Zhang found that around 20°C was the optimum temperature to protest, with chances of a demonstration declining dramatically as the weather became warmer or cooler. By contrast the temperature was almost irrelevant when it came to the likelihood of people taking to the streets during the period 1978 to 1995.For the period 1960 to 1977 Zhang found that around 20°C was the optimum temperature to protest, with chances of a demonstration declining dramatically as the weather became warmer or cooler. By contrast the temperature was almost irrelevant when it came to the likelihood of people taking to the streets during the period 1978 to 1995.
The data also shows that social movements were far more active during the earlier period, with 66% of all protests occurring during this era. Zhang suggests that this eagerness to march during the 1960s and 70s is linked to greater political opportunity, and that both activists and oppressors (government, employers, police) made strategic decisions based on the weather.The data also shows that social movements were far more active during the earlier period, with 66% of all protests occurring during this era. Zhang suggests that this eagerness to march during the 1960s and 70s is linked to greater political opportunity, and that both activists and oppressors (government, employers, police) made strategic decisions based on the weather.