Over the years there have been some iconic protest pics

You can't get more serious than self-immoliation, although a Buddhist monk probably believed he would reincarnate and get another chance.

At Kent State, young protesters were shot by National Guardsmen (none of whom were ever prosecuted)

And no-one knows for sure what happened to the T Square Tank Guy.

Sometimes there's unconscious humor - Just Do It?

The Westboro Baptists: giving people a whole new set of reasons to hate Christians. They are the extreme end of the religious spectrum who believe that all disasters are God punishing people for their sins. In this case, God is killing American soldiers to pay America back for tolerating homosexuals.

Feminists in Ukraine disrobe to protest various indignities. I can't help but approve. Anything that involves naked women can't be all bad. I like the idea of the  protesters who stage a nude run through the streets of Pamploma the day before the running of the bulls. After all, protest should be about getting others to consider your ideas, and if you antagonise them with violence or hostility, you're not going to make many converts to the cause.

Mind you not everyone gets the joke.

But humor gets the publicity just as much as molotov cocktails.

Your message can be hijacked

There's always someone upset about something