Criminalizing Political Discourse and Public Perception of Police Response

This book examines the role of political language in shaping how people understand protests and  police responses, with a particular focus on the 2024 Gen Z protests in Kenya. The protests,  which took place mainly in June and July 2024, were led largely by young Kenyans who came  together to oppose the proposed Finance Bill 2024. What began as a demand for accountability  and changes to proposed taxes developed into a major national movement, attracting widespread  public attention and resulting in confrontations between protesters and security agencies.  At the centre of the book is the argument that the words used to describe protesters can influence how society understands their actions and how it views the response of the police. During the  protests, political leaders and government officials used terms such as “goons,” “criminal  elements,” “violent groups,” and “treasonous” when referring to some protesters and their  actions. Such descriptions can make protesters appear dangerous or unlawful and may lead  members of the public to view strong police action as necessary.