LETTER: Demonstration surpressed others’ First Amendment rights

March 28, 2025

To the Community: 

I was tremendously disappointed when I read of the suppression of the First Amendment right of free speech in the State House recently.

One group had reserved a room in the State House for a brief period to present a message the group felt was important. Another group that opposed the message came in and hooted, hollered, and made enough noise that the first group was drowned out. After a few minutes, the Sergeant at Arms ordered both groups to leave. 

First, I am disappointed in the second group’s actions in preventing the first group from speaking. The principle underlying our First Amendment right of free speech is that everyone gets his or her say, and those who disagree may respond later in an orderly manner. 

Second, I am disappointed in the decision of the Sergeant at Arms to evict both groups. Our state Constitution guarantees access to the State House for all persons who behave decently.  In this case, one group was behaving decently (or trying to), and the other group was not, but the Sergeant at Arms did not distinguish between the two.  

We cannot allow First Amendment rights to be canceled by mob rule, and I hope the legislature takes action to preserve the course of free speech in the future. 

Donald T. Koch 

Barre Town