He paid the fine 'under protest'. [=he paid the fine although he objected to it]
The students launched/held/staged a 'protest' against the tuition increase.
She told him to go to bed despite his 'protests' that he wasn't tired.
(..) Okay. Women for Change is not a bunch of's radicals. Oh, yeah, then why is Leah Marino leading a protest down at the Sherborne Hotel? Because the Sherborne pays its female employees two-thirds what a male receives for the same job. (..)2016 TvShow: Bones Title: The Murder of the Meninist Season: 11 Episode 12