As far back as the 1960s, protesters in Latin America were using pots and pans to protest their governments. Charlotte Church joined a "Pots and Pans" protest organised by Cardiff People's Assembly outside Cardiff Castle to demonstrate against George Osbourne's budget. The post-budget protest was the latest in a chain of appearances for Charlotte Church.
The most famous instances of the use of pots and pans came in Chile in the early-1970s. To symbolize the lack of food available and the growing black market, women took empty pots, or “cacerolas” in Spanish, and beat on them to symbolize their struggles. The “cacerolazo” (“hitting pots”) form of protest became one of the most common and powerful symbols of conservative protests against the government, they continued well into 1973.