You’re probably right; but protests aren’t why companies (and towns) keep the tokens on board - it is because of lawsuits. If they don’t have enough tokens, they’re obviously discriminating; if they didn’t have any tokens apply, then they’re obviously not having enough of an outreach. At my company they make sure they have enough overpaid useless tokens (white women in our particular case) to fight off any lawsuits. We have some brilliant women who are a pleasure to work with who really know their stuff; we also have a number of them where there could be no other reason for them to be paid or promoted to where they are (and it isn’t the age-old way such people would advance - they’re beastly).
Which is why more companies aren’t setting jobs up here in the US and the ones who came here originally, are moving overseas.