Free Speech Policy

Parks are traditional public forums that citizens may use for purposes of assembly, communicating thoughts, discussing public questions and protest.  Peaceful assemblies, public demonstrations and other types of protest are permissible except where such activity will disrupt scheduled events, or will create a hazard to the health, welfare and safety of park visitors, or will destroy park property and/or resources. “Disrupt,” as used above, does not include peacefully holding a protest sign at a public meeting or acting in a manner that does not prevent others from participating in the scheduled event, or that does not create a hazard to the health, welfare and safety of park visitors, or that does not destroy park property and/or resources.

Organizers intending to conduct assemblies or public demonstrations on parkland must provide 24 hours notice to the Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority if the expected crowd will exceed 75 people.  Demonstrators may not block traffic or block the path of others using the park.  Speech may not be restricted based on the content or view expressed, except that speakers may not (1) use fighting words, which are words that by their very utterance tend to incite an immediate breach of the peace; (2) threaten to physically harm others; or (3) engage in obscene speech or conduct as that term is defined by MCL 752.362(5).