Look around the protesting crowd. Among the earnest or angry faces, amidst the chanting and baying throng, there is bound to be at least one placard declaring wisely: "Down with this sort of thing."
The creators of the Irish comedy Father Ted must laugh themselves hoarse when they see their flippant message from one of the series’ episodes displayed in marches across the world.
Less commonly seen, but from the same writers, came another protest gem: "Careful now."
The many inequities in life mean there is never a shortage of subjects to protest about.
Of course, some countries have far more to fight about and oppose than New Zealand and many other Western nations. It’s no coincidence these are the nations less likely to tolerate or allow protest.
Whether you agree with the topic under protest or are completely indifferent to it, a cornerstone of living in a democracy is the right to get out there and show what you think, as long as it is done in a non-violent way.
The minute that right to protest is curtailed or prohibited, democracy is on thin ice.
It’s as bad as in those countries where there is political interference in the business and judgements of the courts, or where the media is controlled and censored.
In New Zealand, we proudly stand up for our rights and for our democratic values and way of life.
Demonstrations have been allowed to take place on all manner of affairs.
Protest is enshrined here as part of how we do things, even to the extent that the New Zealand Parliament website provides a handy list of how to run a demonstration in Parliament grounds.
The site quotes former speaker and National MP Doug Kidd saying "it is an important aspect of our democratic society that people should be able to assemble peaceably in order to express their opinions on a subject".
Even the most outraged member of that ragtag mob had the right to free expression, until their behaviour became unlawful in terms of its behaviour and a long-term sit-in.
That right for all to express their opinions peacefully — and to understand that not everyone has the same point of view — has to remain unshaken as we approach what could well be a very lively election campaign.
But what on earth is happening in increasingly Right-leaning Britain, the so-called home of democracy?
The arrest by Metropolitan Police Force officers of members of the republican group Republic at King Charles III’s coronation on Saturday leaves a bad taste in the mouth of all those who believe in democracy and the right to protest.
The crowning of a new king in front of a worldwide audience is always going to attract a vocal anti-monarchy minority.
Their efforts to cajole, to harass and disrupt are understandably going to upset others.
And given awful terrorist events in London in the past, it is possible to see why police might have overreacted.
However, it is clear the Met went well over the top in arresting members who the police force now admits did not have any intent to lock themselves to objects on the coronation procession route.
An apology has been made to these protesters by senior Met police, but those who were arrested say it will not be the end of the matter.
The Met has always been a law unto itself, despite some changes for the better over the years.
It is reassuring that London Mayor Sadiq Khan and politicians expressed concern at the muzzling of protesters and the trampling on their rights.
One would like to think the King might also be upset at the police’s alarming handling of the matter, given all the promises at his coronation to uphold the freedoms of the peoples of the Commonwealth.
