Final answer:
Nonviolent protest carries risks such as physical harm from confrontations and legal repercussions like arrest, despite often garnering public support for social change.
Step-by-step explanation:
The risks associated with nonviolent protest include physical harm and injury from authorities or counter-protesters, and legal repercussions and arrests. While nonviolent protests can catalyze social change and often gain public support and sympathy, participants may still face confrontations leading to physical harm, and governmental authorities may impose legal consequences including arrest. The history of the civil rights movement shows that nonviolent protest can be a powerful tool for change, as exemplified by the efforts of leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Mohandas Gandhi. These movements succeeded through strategies like rallies, sit-ins, marches, and boycotts but were not without risks to the participants.