Fact Check: Data from the Crowd Counting Consortium, a joint project of the Harvard Kennedy School and the University of Connecticut, shows that there were over twice as many street protests in the US in late January and February 2023 than in February 2017.

Fact Check: "Data from the Crowd Counting Consortium shows that there were over twice as many street protests in the US in late January and February 2023 than in February 2017."

What We Know

The Crowd Counting Consortium (CCC), a joint project of the Harvard Kennedy School and the University of Connecticut, compiles data on political protests in the United States. Their data indicates a significant increase in protest activity, particularly in late 2023, following events related to the Israel-Palestine conflict. As of October 2023, the CCC reported nearly 12,400 pro-Palestine protests and over 2,000 pro-Israel protests in the U.S. since October 7, 2023 (source-1). However, specific comparative data for January and February 2023 against February 2017 is not directly available in the sources reviewed.

The CCC emerged in response to the Women's March on Washington in January 2017, and has since tracked various protests, including those related to social justice, climate change, and political issues (source-1). The data collection methodology involves verifying crowd counts through various means, including public reports and observational techniques (source-1).

Analysis

The claim that there were over twice as many protests in late January and February 2023 compared to February 2017 lacks specific numerical backing from the CCC's published data. While the CCC has documented a surge in protests in 2023, particularly related to pro-Palestinian activism, the exact numbers for January and February 2023 compared to February 2017 are not explicitly stated in the available sources (source-1; source-2).

The CCC's credibility stems from its academic affiliations and its systematic approach to data collection. However, the absence of direct comparative statistics makes it challenging to fully validate the claim. The sources primarily focus on the recent surge in protests without providing a detailed historical context for the specific months in question.

Conclusion

Needs Research. The claim about the number of protests in late January and February 2023 compared to February 2017 requires further investigation. While there is evidence of increased protest activity in 2023, specific comparative data is not readily available in the reviewed sources. More detailed analysis or additional data from the CCC or other reliable sources would be necessary to substantiate the claim.

Sources

1. Crowd Counting Consortium - Ash Center
2. Crowd Counting Consortium: An Empirical Overview of Recent Pro ...
3. Crowd Counting Consortium: Israel/Palestine Protest Data ...
4. Jeremy Pressman | Department of Political Science
5. Crowd - Wikipedia
6. The science of contemporary street protest: New efforts in ...
7. Counting Crowds - Blog of the Crowd Counting Consortium