After thousands of protesters filled streets nationwide to challenge the Trump administration鈥檚 agenda on Saturday, one big question remains:
What comes next?

The 鈥淗ands Off鈥� demonstrations swept across more than 1,000 cities, including dozens across Oregon. From Portland to Baker City, protesters voiced frustration over a broad range of issues 鈥� federal layoffs, rising inflation, newly imposed tariffs and the growing influence of billionaire Elon Musk.

If their goal was to reverse federal policy, they may be disappointed. But political scientists say that doesn鈥檛 mean the protests were pointless.

鈥淚f we always think in terms of instant gratification, we miss a lot of the magic and importance of protests,鈥� said Jules Boykoff, a professor at Pacific University in Oregon, who studies social movements. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a human connection that happens when people protest.鈥�

Protests, Boykoff said, don鈥檛 just send messages to Washington, D.C. 鈥� they build momentum. They bring like-minded people together.

鈥淲hen you have thousands of people feeling the same way,鈥� Boykoff said, 鈥渋t can be a galvanizing force 鈥� you know you are not alone and that you are willing to fight.鈥�

Exact numbers are impossible to come by, but more than half a million people registered for the Hands Off protests online, according to organizers, putting the total number of protesters likely at more than 1 million on Saturday.

A show of strength in unexpected places

Even deep-red communities joined in. In places like Prineville, Madras and Grants Pass 鈥� where President Trump is well liked 鈥� small but vocal groups took to the streets. That doesn鈥檛 surprise Chandler James, a political science professor at the University of Oregon.

鈥淭he government does a bunch of things,鈥� James said. 鈥淚t sends people Social Security cheques, it provides funds for education, for research grants, it regulates certain activities. But Trump鈥檚 changes on the government have been profound 鈥� If you make a bunch of changes to society and there are people negatively impacted by that, they鈥檙e going to be upset.鈥�

James sees echoes of past movements 鈥� particularly the Tea Party movement from the late 2000s 鈥� in the decentralized energy of the Hands Off protests. That movement had a profound impact on elections in 2010, helping Republicans win the U.S. House of Representatives.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e seeing a lot of pent-up energy being expressed whenever the opportunity arises,鈥� James said. 鈥淲hat that suggests to me is that this isn鈥檛 something that is going to go away. This might be revealing underlying discontent that is looking for ways to express itself and be known on a larger scale.鈥�

'Take a bold stance'

The size of Saturday鈥檚 protest may also give elected officials permission to take stronger stands, Boykoff said.

鈥淲hat the protesters have done is give structured permission for elected officials to be even more bold,鈥� Boykoff said. 鈥淚f politicians realize people are angry and will have their back if they take a stance 鈥� They are more likely to say, 鈥楳y constituents are demanding we take a bold stance.鈥欌��

It takes time for the impacts to the federal government to trickle down to individual communities, but when they do, that may propel others to join in similar protests in the future.

鈥淲hat happens if Social Security cheques go fully underwater, or the Trump administration uses the problems with the tariffs to make cuts to Medicare?鈥� Boykoff said. 鈥淚f that happens, people who have never considered protesting may consider the prospect.鈥�

That, in turn, may lead other lawmakers to act, James said.

鈥淧eople are looking for opportunities to make their dissatisfaction heard 鈥� If that dissatisfaction is persistent enough, some ambitious politicians can leverage that energy and turn it into a political movement.鈥�

That could be bad news for elected officials banking on silence.

鈥淧rotests like this can make a difference if elected officials sense that their own re-election is threatened,鈥� said Chris Shortell, a political science professor at Portland State University.

But that change, Shortell noted, won鈥檛 come easily. Many Republicans remain reluctant to challenge Trump, even privately.

鈥淭he unknown here is when and whether public opposition to the administration鈥檚 actions creates enough pressure for elected officials to overcome that hesitation,鈥� Shortell said.