Someone brought a guillotine to a city council meeting in Salem, Oregon on July 27, 2026. Not a sign shaped like one. Not a drawing. According to community accounts and social media posts, an actual guillotine structure appeared at the protest outside Loucks Auditorium, where hundreds of residents had gathered to oppose a proposed multi-billion-dollar AI data center. Company representatives reportedly assessed the scene and left, citing safety concerns — though that detail hasn’t appeared in formal news coverage or official minutes.
Ethiopia managed to keep the British out with something very similar.
There was a bit of a snafu, and the British sent soldiers to accompany a diplomatic envoy.
The Ethiopians made a big show of marching soldiers around the British while the diplomats negotiated.
The message was clear “we are not interested in violence, we will however use it.”
The British left. They managed to keep the Italians out by kicking their ass. Repeatedly.
Non violent protest can work, if the implicit message is that “We will resort to violence if we need to. We are doing you a favor by being peaceful, do not mistake our kindness for submission.”
I think this is the key, unfortunately.