Protests and demonstrations

Please ensure that you have read and understood your responsibilities as an organiser of a protest and/or demonstration as per the Protest and Demonstration Management Protocol available at Academic Freedom and Freedom of Speech prior to completion of your notification form.

We ask that the following are submitted alongside your notification form:

• additional risk assessment for complex events. You can find information that will help you determine the risk level of your event in this document under the ‘complex event’ guidance
• additional information as indicated on the form and in the Protest and Demonstration Management Protocol at Academic Freedom and Freedom of Speech (where appropriate)

Students should consider the requirements of the Code of Student Conduct will help ensure that student organisers and those taking part in the activity are not at risk of being in breach of any aspects of the Code.

Staff members organising an activity should seek advice from People & Culture to ensure that the activity does not breach their terms and conditions of employment or any University policies.

It is important that organisers consider the legality of their own and any potential participants’ actions in relation to the activity and this must be referenced within the risk assessment. This includes consideration to the wording of speeches, banners and any media released in relation to the protest. This includes flags, banners, posters, flyers, clothing, logos and electronic media such as social media posts.

Organisers may provide copies of any planned speeches, banner wording or chants as part of the notification and risk assessment process in order that guidance can be provided in relation to potential legal considerations.

Organisers have a responsibility for the health, safety, and wellbeing of those who may attend, or who may be impacted by the activity that they are organising. To this end, organisers should complete a risk assessment in relation to the planned activity and submit this to ems-ops-comms@essex.ac.uk. Students organising a protest/demonstration can obtain support from the Students’ Union team to assist them in preparing a suitable risk assessment. Staff should contact their departmental Health & Safety Liaison Officer and/or the People & Culture Section for advice and guidance.

Please ensure that your risk assessment and any associated paperwork that may be required is suitable and sufficient and submitted alongside your form or authorisation of your activity may not be granted.

By submitting a protest/demonstration notification form, the organiser confirms that they have read and accept the following conditions:

1. Through the Acknowledgement and Authorisation process the University does not absorb any of the legal duties of the ‘organiser’, all such duties remain with the listed ‘organiser’.
2. Permission to use the Squares/Parkland by current University students or staff for the purpose of protest and/or demonstration may only be given by the Chief Compliance Officer (Infrastructure & Environments) with support from the Protest and Demonstration Operational Group (PDOG).
3. Each protest/demonstration will be assessed by PDOG in line with the Activity Assessment section of the Protest and Demonstration Management Protocol (Page 7).
4. Protests/Demonstrations located or routed through the west side of the Colchester campus can be requested up to, and including, the BBQ area between the Lakes. No events or activities will be authorised in the immediate vicinity of Wivenhoe House Hotel or Lake House.
5. Please note that protests/demonstrations events at all campuses that are requested to be located close to, or have a route close to, individual living and sleeping accommodation of residents will not normally be permitted.
6. The nominated Organiser will be responsible for completing the relevant form and will subsequently be the contact point for the event, and deemed to take on the responsibilities of ‘the Organiser’ as defined in the Protest and Demonstration Management Protocol and the University’s Speaker Code of Practice.
7. A limited electrical supply is available and should be reserved at the time of the booking. Notice is especially drawn to the requirements for Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) of any electrical equipment provided by the event organisers / participants. Please be aware our Electrical Team can offer support until 7.00pm on weekdays only. If your request is outside of these times, then you will need to arrange overtime support.
8. All entrances to / from the Squares must be retained unobstructed for escape purposes throughout the event.
9. The area must be left clean and tidy at the end of the event and all participants should be dispersed immediately following the end of the event.
10. Car parking requirements linked to the event should be discussed in advance with the Travel and Sustainability team at travel@essex.ac.uk. There is no provision for parking under podia and normal parking fees will generally apply.
11. Gazebos etc. are available for use from Facilities Services and Students’ Union. Please be aware our Operational Team can offer support until 2.00pm on weekdays only. If your request is outside of these times, then you will need to arrange overtime support via SoftFM at softfm@essex.ac.uk.
12. The University reserves the right to cancel any authorised activity or closedown an event if circumstances change or the event creates an unacceptable risk or disruption.
13. Events that occur on university grounds which have not received authorisation are subject to being cancelled and closed down.
14. Notification of a protest/Demonstration event will not be acknowledged or authorised if the organiser fails to provide a completed Protest/Demonstration Notification Form and required / requested additional documentation within the timescales listed in this document and will be subject to point 13 above.
15. Events dealing with sensitive issues may require additional assessment in relation to the University’s obligations under the Prevent Duty Guidance.