In reply to flirt.
The concept of having to ask permission from government to protest or demonstrate against the government is absolutey absurd. Yet, somehow, that over time became acceptable to the people.
Having said that, with regard to the UK lockdown protests the vast majority of attendees were normal, grassroots people. Not paid or compromised activists, although some of the organisers and speakers were.
I believe that due to the high turnouts at these events and also the anti-lockdown and anti-mandate sentiment which would have been picked up by the authorities through scraping the internet, anti-Social Media, monitoring emails, phone calls etc, the UK escaped the worst of the draconian edicts and mandates that some other countries suffered.