What momentum of the February movement was shown when demonstrators returned on 26 February?

Correct answer: The movement kept growing despite pressure

The governing concept is the continuity and widening of a mass movement. The return of demonstrators on 26 February showed that repression, fear, and official pressure had not broken public participation. Instead, workers and other citizens continued to assemble, making the protest more persistent and politically significant. Therefore, option C is correct: the movement was still growing despite pressure. Option A is incorrect because the demonstrations did not end. Option B is too narrow because the unrest increasingly included opposition to the government and the war, not only food shortages. Option D reverses the direction of the movement, since the protests challenged the Tsarist regime rather than strengthening it.