Performativity and Protest

I have been to six protest for Palestine in London and Bristol in the past three weeks. Before the first protest, I wrote how it felt more meaningful to protest because the government was intimidating protestors, especially immigrants. I found the sense of solidarity that comes from marching with hundreds and thousands of people empowering. That has not been the case in the past two protests. To be sure, the point of a protest is not to improve your own  feel good about oneself, so I find it a bit self-centered to point this out. But, the protests are starting to feel a bit performative, now that there is no danger of them being banned. I saw on social media some people calling for an escalation of tactics beyond point A to point B marches. Sisters Uncut, a feminist group, occupied Waterloo station for a few hours before being threatened with arrest. Of course, to engage in direct action, you need to be prepared to be arrested, and all the hassle that comes if you are charged. I don't agree with all Just Stop Oil's actions, but I respect them for putting themselves in the rifle sights of a viciously right-wing Tory government and a hostile judiciary. Even if I was a citizen, I don't think I would be willing to get arrested. So, I find myself dissatisfied with the current way in which I am expressing dissent, while also unwilling to do anything more extreme. And, surely, I am not the only one feeling that way.