Cities that had large-scale protests against police brutality saw an increase in social distancing as nonprotesters stayed home more, according to a new study that could lower expectations for increased transmission of the coronavirus following the demonstrations.

“Our findings suggest that any direct decrease in social distancing among the subset of the population participating in the protests is more than offset by increasing social distancing behavior among others who may choose to shelter-at-home,” concludes the study, circulated Monday by the National Bureau of Economic Research.