Authors

Discussion

This paper investigates the protest behaviour of the Crimean Tatars, Ukraine’s indigenous Muslim minority, under Russian occupation in Crimea. Specifically, it analyses the backlash protests against ethnic and religious persecution, with particular attention to the unrest following the arrest of six Hizb ut-Tahrir members in October 2017. Employing the Forest-Fire model of cultural identity conflict escalation as a theoretical framework, the paper argues that the heightened emotional climate within the Crimean Tatar community post-2014, combined with a significant triggering event, catalysed collective action. This empirical analysis sheds light on the non-linear dynamics of ethnic protest, highlighting the self-organizing nature of mobilization. By emphasizing the role of collective emotions, triggering events, and pre-existing social networks, rooted in kinship, community ties, and organizational structures, the paper contributes to the literature on ethnic conflict and protest dynamics, illustrating how bottom-up mobilization can emerge even in highly repressive environments.