Anti-gay protests prompt response from campus groups, IUPD

Last week anti-gay protesters exercised their right to free speech twice, convening near the law school Tuesday and in front of Franklin Hall Friday. Tuesday's protest featured slogans such as "AIDS cures fags," and "Christ is our only escape from hell," according to a Nov. 10 Indiana Daily Student article. \nThe protest Friday also featured signs people might have found objectionable, according to IU Police Department reports. Most of the protesters hailed from Old Paths Baptist Church in Campbellsburg, Ind. \nThese messages were met by counter-protests led by Bloomington United and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender representatives and supporters both Tuesday and Friday. These confrontations led to the arrest of one of the counter-protestors on Friday, according to IUPD reports. Senior Andrew Allred was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct in connection with the Friday protests. \n"These groups that come to IU to protest are usually very cooperative and are just trying to get as much attention as possible," said IUPD Lt. Jerry Minger. "It was actually a person who was opposed to their message who was arrested for an altercation with one of the protestors. I think he may have grabbed a sign from one of the protestors and tried to hit him with it." \nThis string of protests on campus have the GLBT Student Support Services office coordinating with other student groups on campus to formulate a concentrated response to the incidents, as well as to give students advice about how to handle themselves when responding to members of Old Paths Baptist Church. They also have IUPD ready to respond if the protests cause disruptions or are carried out in areas other than those designated by the University as a free speech zone. \n"We had incidents like these a year ago during the summer," said Doug Bauder, coordinator of the GLBT office. "We ran a program called 'Make Every Minute Count,' and it encouraged students not to pay attention or argue with the protestors. As part of the program, people would pledge money for every minute they were in town, for the amount of hate the protestors were bringing. We are going to be meeting with Bloomington United and other groups to determine if we will run that program again or come up with another one." \nBauder also circulated an e-mail to those on the GLBT office's e-mail list that gave potential demonstrators information on counter-protest behavior. \n"Basically I tell people that one choice they have is to ignore them," Bauder said. "If they come and no one pays attention, they'll leave a lot faster."\nFor those who feel the need to confront the protesters, however, he emphasized the need to keep a cool head.\n"They know how to push people's buttons and are very savvy," Bauder said. "If they get in your face and you happen to push them with a finger, they won't hesitate to press charges, so it's important to keep cool."\nIUPD also must be prepared to respond to protests so participants do not disturb the learning environment at IU, impede traffic flow or stray from designated free speech areas such as Dunn Meadow, Minger said.\n"We endorse the ability to dissent and demonstrate -- that's what college is all about, a free expression of ideas," Minger said. "We just need to make sure the manner and location of the protest doesn't disturb the educational goals of the University."\nSuch disturbances have taken place in the past when people have set up protests in the grassy area between Ballantine and Woodburn Halls. These protests become a problem because of their proximity to classrooms; the arguments and screaming the protests often generate have disturbed professors trying to teach in the past, Minger said. \nMinger added that IUPD these demonstrators are asked by IUPD to move to a designated free speech area on campus or to leave campus. If they don't leave, they can be arrested for trespassing, but such arrests have not occurred recently.\n"People are allowed to set up and voice whatever opinions they want at any free speech location on campus," Minger said. \n-- Contact staff writer Mike Wilson at mhwilson@indiana.edu.