When have peaceful protests ever worked? Probably some examples but I can’t think of any.
As Reagan himself acknowledged when away from cameras and teleprompters, “We did not envision ourselves as moving into a country and overthrowing the government on behalf of the people. No, this thing has to be the internal people themselves . . . . We could just try to be helpful.”
Why Did Solidarity Succeed in Poland? They Took the Lead. We Didn't. | History News Network
Ghandi comes to mind.
The Velvet Revolution was in, iirc, Hungary. And then Romania - the only violence was when the Ceaucescus were grabbed, held, and executed the next day. IIRC.