Free Expression: Protests and Demonstrations

How to Plan and Register a Protest or Demonstration

Advance Planning

There are university requirements and other considerations that need to be taken into account when planning a protest or demonstration.

• Set goals and priorities: Review all that needs to be completed and decide what is the most important. Be realistic and specific when setting your goals. What needs to be done now and what can wait?
• Break larger tasks into smaller segments: Take one large task or project and break it into smaller segments with internal deadlines. Follow plans, stay on track, and avoid working on things at the last minute.
• Budget and monitor time: Take time to review plans each day and update schedules as needed. Overestimate the time needed for tasks related to the event. If done early, move on to something else.
• Organize the event planning by due date: At the start, write down all important tasks and deadlines in a planner or electronic calendar. Watch for busy periods and plan accordingly.

Before students begin planning a protest or demonstration, they should consider the following:

• What are the needs of the organization or community, and how can this protest or demonstration help meet those needs?
• What do we want participants to gain or experience from this protest or demonstration?
• Does this protest or demonstration align with the stated mission and goals of the organization?

Answering these questions will help to focus your efforts and will be effective in meeting the needs of the organization and the Hopkins community. Once student leaders reflect on and discuss these questions, it is time to start brainstorming the details of the protest or demonstration:

• What activities and elements will the organization incorporate to support the purpose of the event and the mission of the organization (such as a speaker or lecture, music, or other activities)?
• Are there opportunities for collaboration with another organization? Are there organizations that would align with the goals of the protest or demonstration?
• Who will take the lead in coordinating the protest or demonstration?
• What time and day of the week are ideal for our protest or demonstration? Select a few different options to remain flexible.
• How many people do we expect to attend our event? Make sure your expected attendance matches the room/space capacity of your location.
• What locations would be ideal for the protest or demonstration? What locations are available? Select 2-3 different options and remain flexible.
• What would be the ideal start and end time of the protest or demonstration? Determine how much time will be needed for setup and breakdown.
• Who is most likely to attend the protest or demonstration? Who is the target audience? Students? Staff? Faculty? Community members?

Room Reservations

Consider the following when seeking space within a university building:

• Only registered student organizations (RSO), groups that are registered with Leadership Engagement & Experiential Development (LEED), can make room reservations with Scheduling Event Services (SES).
• SES reserves the right to relocate the facility rooms and/or classrooms assigned.
• Alcohol is not permitted.
• Events with an estimated attendance of over 75 may require Public Safety support.
• Depending on the size of the protest or demonstration, and resources needed, there may be unforeseen charges associated with the protest or demonstration.

How to Register a Protest or Demonstration

If you are interested in organizing or engaging in protests, demonstrations, or other acts of free expression, you are strongly encouraged to seek support from the Office of Leadership Engagement & Experiential Development (LEED) or any of the school-based student affairs offices. Advance notice helps ensure that an event is fully supported by university resources including the Office of Public Safety and in alignment with university policies and guidelines. University staff are positioned to provide support both in the planning stages and during an event, as necessary.

Student Affairs Office Contact Information by School

Peabody Institute	[email protected]
School of Education	[email protected]
East Baltimore
School of Medicine	[email protected]
School of Nursing	[email protected]
School of Public Health	[email protected]
Hopkins Bloomberg Center
Advanced Academic Programs	[email protected]
Carey Business School	[email protected]
School of Advanced International Studies	[email protected]
School of Government and Policy	TBD

Registered Student Organizations (RSO)

If your registered student organization (RSO) is planning a protest or demonstration that is 10 business days or more away, you can have the RSO’s designated Student Event Requestor submit an event request through the university’s online space reservation platform: 25Live. Approved Student Event Requestors need to have completed the necessary training on the scheduling system, process, and policies.

You can reach out to the Scheduling & Event Services Office to get registered and trained so you have access in the future to request space for your RSO with other event requests throughout the academic year. Call 410-516-8209 or email [email protected] for more information.

If your registered student organization has not yet designated a Student Event Requestor or the designated Student Event Requestor has not yet attended the necessary training, your RSO should contact Leadership Engagement & Experiential Development (LEED) at 410-516-4873 or [email protected] or the appropriate school-based student affairs offices listed above to help obtain space for your event.

Typically, events, including protest or demonstrations, are required to be submitted 10 days in advance. However, student affairs staff will work collaboratively with the appropriate scheduling offices and the RSO to execute your protest or demonstration on a shorter timeline, assuming it does not conflict with a previously scheduled event in the same space. If your registered student organization would like to plan and request space for a protest or demonstration less than 10 business days in advance, please reach out to LEED or the appropriate school-based student affairs office.

Nonregistered Student Organization(s) or Individual Students

Nonregistered Student Organization(s) or individual students should also contact LEED or the appropriate school-based student affairs office for help obtaining space and executing a protest or demonstration since only RSO Student Event Requestors are able to schedule space through 25Live. Reach out to LEED at 410-516-4873 or email [email protected] or use the contact information listed above to contact the appropriate school-based student affairs office.

Guests

Students are responsible for informing any guests, including participants in student-organized protests, demonstrations, or other acts of free expression, of university guidelines and policies (including those prohibiting intimidation, threats, harassment, or incitement to violence) and are accountable for the actions of their guests in accordance with university policies and guidelines. The same rules and expectations for behavior apply to both registered and spontaneous or unregistered protests or demonstrations. Uninvited guests or others who have no direct affiliation with the university are not covered by the same rights of access, demonstration, or other activity as affiliates.

General Guidance

Johns Hopkins University strives to support and promote acts of free expression on campus. The airing of controversial views is accepted here— even if, at times, some may find them hurtful or offensive—provided these views are expressed in ways that do not intimidate, threaten, discriminate, harass, incite violence, disrupt university operations, or raise health, safety, or welfare concerns.

The university has developed materials to support students seeking to engage in protests, demonstrations, vigils, displays, or other acts of free expression while protecting the health and safety of all members of our community and ensuring the continuity of university operations. This includes the university’s Guidelines for Students in Support of Free Expression Through Protests and Demonstrations which are grounded in our commitment to academic freedom and in our shared commitment to creating and maintaining a climate that fuels the discovery and dissemination of ideas through speech, reason, and debate. Following is a summary of the main provisions of the Guidelines and examples of the practical application of our policies and guidelines. For additional information, students are encouraged to read the relevant policies and guidelines in their entirety.

We are committed to establishing an environment in which free expression can occur by both recognizing that speech may at times be hurtful or offensive and –

1. ensuring the physical health and safety of our community;
2. prohibiting threats, harassment, or intimidation directed at a specific person or group, including when these actions are based on race, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, disability, age, or other protected status; and
3. prohibiting the incitement of violence.

Material interference with the rights of others to engage in instruction, research, studying, or taking exams will be viewed as inhibiting the academic freedom of others and disruptive to the core educational mission of the university.

Examples of impermissible disruptions include:

• obstructing the passage into or out of buildings or controlling access to open spaces on campus;
• preventing university employees from entering their workplace or otherwise performing their duties;
• refusing to relocate from a building or area that is closed or reserved for another purpose;
• preventing members of a class or other academic program from being able to hear a lecture, take an exam, or otherwise participate fully in the academic offerings of the university;
• preventing a speaker from giving a lecture, talk, presentation, or performance, by means of shouts or other significant interruptions; and
• damaging or destroying property or committing vandalism.

Students are responsible for informing their guests of university guidelines and policies and are accountable for the actions of their guests in accordance with university policies. Uninvited guests or others who have no direct affiliation with the university are not covered by the same rights of access, demonstration, or other activity.

Affiliates, guests, and/or nonaffiliates participating in protests, demonstrations, or other acts of free expression on our university campus are expected to provide identification upon request. The university may also rely on security cameras, photographs, and other conventional means to distinguish between affiliates and nonaffiliates and to identify those whose activities are in violation of university policies and guidelines.

Students are encouraged to review the Guidelines for Students in Support of Free Expression Through Protests and Demonstrations, the Student Conduct Code, Related Policies and Protocols (see below), and the guidance on How to Plan and Register a Protest or Demonstration (see above) when planning a protest, demonstration, rally, vigil, display, or other act of free expression.

For events on city sidewalks and streets adjacent to the university, students must make arrangements to acquire city permits and adhere to city ordinances and applicable state and federal law.

Importance of Academic Freedom

In 2015, after an extensive consultative process with a broad cross section of the university community Johns Hopkins adopted a PDF Document: Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom that stands as the university’s public recognition of the singular importance of academic freedom to our mission and our work.

The statement reads, in full:

Academic freedom is the wellspring of an open and free university.

Academic freedom protects the right to speak and create, to question and dissent, to participate in debate on and off campus, and to invite others to do the same, all without fear of restraint or penalty. It affords members of the community the broadest possible scope for unencumbered expression, investigation, analysis, and discourse. Indeed, among the measures of an academic community is its success in creating a culture of active discussion and debate, one where its members open themselves to the views of others, even when those views are provocative or unfamiliar.

However, academic freedom is not unbounded. As with the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, on whose precepts it is based, academic freedom does not guarantee the right to defame or threaten, to deface or harass, or to incite violence or infringe on privacy. And reasonable and viewpoint-neutral rules for the time, place, and manner of expression are a legitimate way to ensure the orderly conduct of the university.

Further, academic freedom entails academic responsibility. There is no right to plagiarize or otherwise engage in academic or scientific misconduct. The exercise of judgment on the basis of professional criteria and the highest intellectual standards, in matters such as academic quality and performance evaluations, is both permissible and necessary. Even so, limits such as these, essential to the functioning of the university, should be seen as narrow exceptions to the presumption of open and vigorous expression.

A professional and respectful exchange of views is integral to creating a positive environment for learning, teaching, and research. Each of us has a critical role to play in cultivating a climate of intellectual diversity, dignity, and respect. But academic freedom necessarily permits the expression of views that even the vast majority of the community may find misguided, ignorant, or offensive. The appropriate response to such statements in an academic setting is not to censor or punish, but to challenge, criticize, and persuade.

Johns Hopkins continues to expand its connections to a range of partnerships with external entities. Some funding sources may seek to control data and research findings or to limit their dissemination. And the university’s mission, its influence, and its presence reach far beyond the traditional campus, to countries and cultures and institutions that do not share the same understanding of free speech and academic freedom principles. In these situations, special care must be taken to maintain the university’s core principles of free and independent inquiry.

Johns Hopkins was home to the early development of the concept of academic freedom in this country. The torch of free inquiry is a critical part of our heritage and our mission. Each of us, in our time as members of this community of scholars, bears a responsibility for nurturing its flame, and passing it on to those who will follow.

Related Policies and Protocols

The summaries below provide additional information for planning and engaging in protests and demonstrations. For more details on the underlying policies, click on the links below.

Student Conduct Code

The Student Conduct Code applies to all students, including undergraduate and graduate students, and all student groups and organizations, whether recognized by the university or not.

The Student Conduct Code ensures that all students can participate fully in the life and mission of the university. It is intended to promote and protect the health, safety, welfare, property, and rights of all members of the JHU community as well as promote the orderly operation of the university and to safeguard its property and facilities.

When conducting a demonstration, certain actions may violate the Student Conduct Code. Students organizing protests and protest participants are expected to familiarize themselves with the information provided within the Student Conduct Code and all related policies and guidelines.

Specific policies related to protest and demonstration activities are listed below. Student actions not adhering to these policies may violate the Student Conduct Code.

Discrimination and Harassment Policy

The university prohibits discrimination and harassment based on any protected characteristic, which includes sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity including shared ancestry or national origin, immigration status, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, military status, veteran status or other legally protected characteristic. The university further prohibits any form of retaliation, intimidation, threats, coercion, or discrimination or attempts thereof, whether direct or indirect, by any officer, employee, faculty, student, trainee, post-doctoral fellow, resident, or agent of the university against a person who makes a complaint or report of discrimination or harassment, participates in any way in the investigation or resolution of such a complaint or report, or exercises his or her rights or responsibilities under the policy, these procedures, or the law.

Some examples of activities that could violate the Discrimination and Harassment Policy and Procedures (DHPP) include:

• Vandalizing property with symbols or drawings that are historically known to be threatening and/or targeted at a group or an individual based on characteristics such as race, religion, or ethnicity;
• Making remarks that classify a religious, racial, or ethnic group in a negative, stereotypic manner;
• Targeting someone for harassment or intimidation on the basis of their foreign language or their foreign accent;
• Isolating, excluding, or targeting individuals based on their actual or perceived association with a particular religion or religious belief or membership in an identity related student club or group;
• Expressing negative views regarding an individual’s actual or perceived ancestry;
• Using social media to post threats or attempt to harass or intimidate someone based on their actual or perceived protected characteristics, such as race, ethnicity, ancestry, national origin or religion;
• Berating an individual based on their religious expression, including their style of dress, dietary practices, or other rituals associated with their beliefs.

If you ever experience discrimination or harassment, or witness someone else as a target, contact the Office of Institutional Equity at [email protected] or 410-516-8075. OIE has a team of professionals trained in assessing and investigating potential violations of the university’s policies on harassment and discrimination, including a Title IX coordinator for matters involving sexual harassment or sexual misconduct, and a Title VI coordinator for matters involving discrimination based on race, color, or national origin, including shared ancestry, anti-Semitism, and Islamophobia.

Signage – Flyers, Posters, Chalking, Banners

The university welcomes flyers, signs, chalking, and banners in support of free expression and to inform the community about events, subject to the following limitations:

• Flyers and other signage may not be affixed directly to buildings, doors, walls, or bathroom stalls.
• Flyers may only be affixed to designated bulletin boards.
• Students may not deface or cover the signage of other groups or individuals.
• Posters and other forms of signage or advertising may not disrupt academic classes, programs, or activities, may not damage the property of the university, and may not be used to threaten, harass, or intimidate others.
• Placards, banners, and signs may be carried during a protest or demonstration so long as they are not dangerous to others, do not significantly impede the participation of others in university activities and operations, and otherwise adhere to university policies.
• Chalking on the Homewood campus is permitted with water-soluble chalk on the brick surfaces of Levering Plaza and the Breezeway and in Front of the Hopkins Café. Students should check with their respective student affairs office for more specific guidance. It is an individual or group’s responsibility to remove chalk marks after the event. As with other signage, Facilities or Public Safety may remove chalking in other locations or that otherwise violates university policy or guidelines.
• Banners can be hung from buildings and other structures or objects only with prior approval from the university. On the Homewood campus, banner requests for the Breezeway can be made through JHU Event Scheduling. For additional inquiries please reach out to the Office of Leadership Engagement & Experiential Development (LEED) or any of the school-based student affairs offices for more information.
• For information regarding the Residence Hall Posting Policy, visit the Residential Life Resources page.

Signage that violates university guidelines or policies or is posted for unapproved events may be removed by Facilities or Public Safety. In addition, during a protest or demonstration, if use of placards, banners, or signs is dangerous or significantly impedes the participation of others, or otherwise violates university policies, university officials may require adjustment, removal, or relocation of the materials.

Individual departments and governing bodies may have additional requirements for posting and/or advertising. Organizers must contact the facility manager of a building in which posters and other advertising media are to be utilized.

Additional information on the guidelines governing signage can be found here.

Painting “Jay the Blue Jay” Statue

The statue of Jay the Blue Jay, located near the Freshman Quad, was created by students for students as an outlet to express themselves creatively and promote the Blue Jay spirit. Students use it to promote events, programming, and community spirit, and to further the free and open exchange of ideas that is a hallmark of our university community. The following guidelines apply to the painting of Jay:

1. Only Johns Hopkins students, student groups, and student organizations, and authorized university staff, may paint on Jay.
2. Painters should paint only the statue. No individual, group, or organization is permitted to paint the sidewalk, lamp posts, grass, or buildings surrounding Jay, and any individual, group, or organization that does so will be held financially responsible for the university cleaning costs incurred as a result.
3. Painters should remove all painting supplies when finished. Any supplies left at or near the statue will be disposed of.
4. As a medium for spontaneous expression shared by all Johns Hopkins students, with no advance permission required, the statue may be painted over by other students at any time.
5. The university expects students to comply with the law and university policies when painting on Jay, and reserves the right to remove paintings that may violate a law or policy, such as paintings containing threats, hate symbols, or epithets directed at a specific person or group.

Open Space Policies

Many student protests or demonstrations will take place outside. Be sure to follow the Open Space Policies when hosting or participating in a protest or demonstration.

Campus Ground Use Guidelines

Johns Hopkins Facilities & Real Estate (JHFRE) provides reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions regarding the use of designated public forums in order to protect and maintain university resources, facilities, and property and to promote public health, safety, and welfare.

Activities must be conducted in accordance with the policies of JHU and JHFRE, as well as local fire and safety regulations, noise ordinances, and other restrictions.

Events and other activities may not disrupt everyday university operations, including blocking vehicular or pedestrian traffic, impeding access to building entrances and exits or open spaces, or creating health or safety hazards. JHFRE also reserves the right to deny any request due to other planned activities or the condition of outdoor spaces.

Amplified sound is restricted to prevent unreasonable interference with or disruption to normal campus activities or neighbors. When university classes or other academic activities are in session, sound amplification is not allowed.

Assembling tents and/or temporary structures is not permitted without prior approval. Sleeping or spending the night outdoors on campus without advanced permission is not permitted.

Additional information on these guidelines can be found here.

Fire Prevention

The Student Conduct Code Prohibits the unauthorized burning of any material in or on any university building or property, whether indoors or outdoors, including arson or tampering with any fire or other safety equipment. Students must also abide by local fire codes and ordinances. In addition, in line with the Johns Hopkins Fire Prevention Policy, consider the following when planning a demonstration to prevent fire and create a safe environment:

• Keep all stairway fire doors closed and stairwell landings unobstructed
• Maintain free access to fire hose cabinets, fire extinguishers, fire alarm pull stations, and other emergency equipment at all times.
• Never shield lights with linen or other combustible materials.
• Do not use candles in any residence halls, office areas, or patient care areas. The only exception is or religious gatherings if the following measures are taken:
  • Do not leave candles unattended.
  • Do not place candles within a means of egress.
  • Ensure candles have a non-combustible stand or base.
  • Obtain pre-approval for the use of candles from the Health, Safety, and Environment Department

Means of Egress Policy

The Student Code of Conduct and Campus Ground Use Guidelines prohibit blocking vehicular or pedestrian traffic and impeding or blocking access to building entrances and exits. In addition, the Johns Hopkins Means of Egress Policy describes Johns Hopkins’ obligation to provide a safe means of egress (exit) for Johns Hopkins faculty, staff, students, patients, and visitors in the event of an emergency. In accordance with the International Fire Code and the National Fire Prevention Association’s 101 “Life Safety Code,” Johns Hopkins must assure, where applicable, corridors provide for: 1) a readily safe and adequate means by which occupants may exit in the event of a fire or other emergency; 2) adequate access and use by emergency personnel; 3) the safe movement of people during normal use of the building; and 4) the safe transport of patients and materials.

Access to Restricted Areas Policy

Under the Access to Restricted Areas Policy, unauthorized individuals are not allowed to access any areas housing potentially hazardous materials or machinery including, but not limited to, laboratories and construction areas. Authorized individuals are JHH, JHHS and JHU employees, JHU faculty, JHU students, and other individuals on official business for or with Johns Hopkins.

Additional Campus Resources

Well-Being Resources

Johns Hopkins has a wide range of resources and programs to support students. Some resources that students may find helpful include:

• The Student Well-being website is a digital library of resources organized across eight facets of well-being: emotional and mental, physical, social, sexual, spiritual, financial, environmental, and professional.
• TimelyMD: Free professional mental one-on-one telehealth counseling, with both 24/7 TalkNow as well as scheduled counseling options.
• SilverCloud: Interactive online learning modules for cognitive behavioral therapy techniques.
• A Place to Talk: Group listening service with undergraduate peers trained in crisis intervention and listening skills. A Place to Talk (APTT) is the peer listening group for the Johns Hopkins community. They offer a cozy environment for anyone to discuss anything, from everyday frustrations to serious concerns. The peer listeners are undergraduate students who have been selected and trained in 50 hours (about 2 days) of active listening skills and crisis intervention through the JHU Mental Health Services.
• Calm: Meditation, mindful movement, and sleep assistance app (Premium Version with JHU).
• Mental Health Services: Johns Hopkins counselor support.

Religious and Spiritual Life

Religious & Spiritual Life promotes and supports spiritual development, theological reflections, religious tolerance and social awareness among students, faculty, and staff within our Johns Hopkins community. Religious & Spiritual Life can be reached at: [email protected] or 410-516-1880.

Student Outreach and Support (undergraduate resource)

Student Outreach and Support (SOS) staff is committed to assisting students in successfully navigating the Johns Hopkins University Homewood campus. SOS helps students manage physical and mental health concerns, personal and family emergencies, financial issues, and other obstacles that may arise during their college experience. SOS is not counseling or therapy; rather, case managers have the opportunity to develop close helping relationships with students while coaching students toward appropriate self-care and self-advocacy. For non-emergent inquiries, SOS can be reached at: [email protected]. In an emergency, please contact the Behavioral Health Crisis Support Team at 410-516-9355.

Public Safety

Johns Hopkins Public Safety is committed to safeguarding our vibrant learning and working community through holistic, progressive approaches to security that foster deep community relationships built on trust, cooperation, and mutual respect. Public Safety strives to ensure that Johns Hopkins is a place where students, faculty, and staff can enjoy rewarding academic and social experiences. Public Safety can be reached at: [email protected] or by calling 410-516-4600 (non-emergency) or 410-516-7777 or 911 (emergency).