Read the history of the activist group/network "ACT UP". They used non-violent civil disobedience tactics to raise awareness of AIDS, etc. They utilized and in many cases pioneered dramatic and disruptive actions that gained a lot of attention and helped them achieve their goals. They were so successful that today many activists groups mimic their tactics and that's what you see here. And of course, what worked for them is often aped to detrimental effects. In many cases ACT UP unintentionally created numerous cargo cults.