Since the beginning of 2021, high-profile protests in diverse locations across the globe have called attention to the tactics governments are using to try to deter, disrupt and reduce the influence of mass demonstrations. Russia’s response to the widespread protests triggered by the arrest of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, in particular, provides a poignant case study on how authorities are increasingly using a wider array of counter-protest tactics beyond physical repression, with implications for security and stability in places where there is significant protest activity. The Downsides of Cracking Down Authorities across the globe increasingly are finding that there are pitfalls to using force to suppress mass demonstrations. Although violence will remain a sometimes necessary tool to deter and disrupt large protest movements, there are clear drawbacks for governments that rely on force alone to quell unrest. Attacks can permanently undermine legitimacy.