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

The 乌鸦传媒淗ands Off乌鸦传媒� 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 乌鸦传媒� 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乌鸦传媒檛 mean the protests were pointless.

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

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

乌鸦传媒淲hen you have thousands of people feeling the same way,乌鸦传媒� Boykoff said, 乌鸦传媒渋t can be a galvanizing force 乌鸦传媒� you know you are not alone and that you are willing to fight.乌鸦传媒�

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 乌鸦传媒� where President Trump is well liked 乌鸦传媒� small but vocal groups took to the streets. That doesn乌鸦传媒檛 surprise Chandler James, a political science professor at the University of Oregon.

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

James sees echoes of past movements 乌鸦传媒� particularly the Tea Party movement from the late 2000s 乌鸦传媒� 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.

乌鸦传媒淵ou乌鸦传媒檙e seeing a lot of pent-up energy being expressed whenever the opportunity arises,乌鸦传媒� James said. 乌鸦传媒淲hat that suggests to me is that this isn乌鸦传媒檛 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.乌鸦传媒�

'Take a bold stance'

The size of Saturday乌鸦传媒檚 protest may also give elected officials permission to take stronger stands, Boykoff said.

乌鸦传媒淲hat the protesters have done is give structured permission for elected officials to be even more bold,乌鸦传媒� Boykoff said. 乌鸦传媒淚f politicians realize people are angry and will have their back if they take a stance 乌鸦传媒� They are more likely to say, 乌鸦传媒楳y constituents are demanding we take a bold stance.乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮�媒�

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.

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

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

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

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

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

But that change, Shortell noted, won乌鸦传媒檛 come easily. Many Republicans remain reluctant to challenge Trump, even privately.

乌鸦传媒淭he unknown here is when and whether public opposition to the administration乌鸦传媒檚 actions creates enough pressure for elected officials to overcome that hesitation,乌鸦传媒� Shortell said.