Best Practices to Prioritize Safe and Secure Demonstrations

• Individuals and organizations have the lawful right to demonstrate if done in a lawful manner.
• Remaining orderly ensures an orderly response from law enforcement.
• Avoid blocking sidewalks, streets or private driveways, or entrances to any private or public place as that creates a problem for fellow citizens, flow of traffic and public safety.
• Avoid preventing anyone from entering or leaving a place or threatening anyone with bodily harm.
• Demonstrators may speak to people entering or leaving a place and may pass out leaflets and or pamphlets.
• Every demonstration or organization demonstrating should have a point of contact, who is easily identifiable, who will act as a liaison between the Lancaster Bureau of Police and the Bureau of Police should have one point of contact for the group to communicate questions or challenges both ways.
• The party being demonstrated against may sign a criminal complaint if a violation of the law occurs on private property.
• If something being protested against is an event with a permit, the permit holder may exclude demonstrators from being within the permitted area.  Demonstrators may, however, continue their demonstrations outside of the permitted area provided their demonstrations are conducted in a lawful manner.
• It is the duty of the police agencies involved to protect the rights of all persons, demonstrators and non-demonstrators alike, at the scene of a demonstration.
• If demonstrations continue late into the evenings, noise can create problems for fellow citizens. Avoid loud noise past 10 PM in line with the Noise Ordinance.