Chatham UU Pauses Protests On Its Property

CHATHAM – An October protest planned for the front lawn of the Chatham Unitarian Universalist Meetinghouse could be the last for the foreseeable future after the Meetinghouse board of trustees voted to "pause" the use of its property for public protests.

A protest scheduled for Saturday was cancelled after the Meetinghouse board of trustees voted to “pause” the use of its property for public protests. Both the board and the organizers of the Sept. 27 event agreed that a communications glitch caused the rally to be announced before it had been approved by the board.

The board will address future requests for use of its property on a case-by-case basis, said President Sally Davol.

The board agreed to allow the Oct. 18 “No Kings 2.0” protest on its highly visible property at the corner of Main Street, Crowell Road and Queen Anne Road, but urged the group organizing the event to seek a different location in the future.

 “We really want this group to find another venue,” Davol said.

The first “No Kings” rally on the Meetinghouse lawn in June drew more than 300 protesters, and a “Good Trouble” rally in July drew almost as many. Both were organized by What Now?, a loosely connected group of citizens of Chatham and nearby towns, according to group leader Mary Byrne.

No problems were reported at either protest, said Chief of Police Michael Anderson.

Like those events, the Oct. 18 rally, part of a national protest, will include designated monitors to ensure the safety of participants and passersby. The Chatham Chamber of Commerce’s Oktoberfest takes place the same day, and Byrne said in an email that the two events should be able to “peacefully co-exist.”

 “UUMH is lending the space but is not otherwise supporting the event,” Byrne wrote. “And What Now? does not have any outside funding. All the labor is volunteered and supplies are donated by members of the group.”

Byrne said the group looked into using the front lawn of the community center for the Oct. 18 protest, but it was not available due to Oktoberfest. The group is looking into other options, such as protesting on sidewalks or other church properties.

While the Oct. 18 protest is listed on the Indivisible.org website as part of the national “No Kings 2.0” day, Byrne said members of What Now? do not consider themselves part of the Indivisible organization.

A previous Meetinghouse board approved the earlier protests, Davol said, noting that the atmosphere in the country has gotten “way too politicized” since then. 

The statement from the board reads: “The UUMH Board of Trustees has voted unanimously to pause the use of our lawn for public protests. In recent months, these gatherings have become increasingly politically charged. As a place of worship, we are called to strike a balance between expressing our values and protecting what many hold to be a sacred space for spiritual reflection and renewal.

 “This decision is not a denial of the urgent issues facing our nation today. Rather, it is a shift toward encouraging expressions of protest and solidarity in locations that are accessible, safe, and welcoming to all members of our wider community.

 “Moving forward, requests to use the UUMH lawn will be considered on a case-by-case basis.”

The town has no ordinances that govern public assembly, Anderson said, although there are regulations requiring permissions or governing the number of people who can gather without permission on some properties, such as North Beach Island. A rally at the community center, for instance, would require permission from the park and recreation commission, he noted.

Protesters can gather on other public properties but must not obstruct sidewalks or entrances to public buildings, Anderson said. Use of public streets is also prohibited without permission from the police department, he added. Use of the downtown rotary is prohibited because it is a designated memorial.

The organizers of the June and July protests met with Anderson and police officials prior to the rallies. He urged those organizing future events to repeat that practice and have a plan to comply with local and state laws. Use of some town properties could require a permit from the select board, he added.