Last weekend I attended a concert by the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra in the Music Hall, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The audience seemed smaller than usual. There could be several reasons, but one possible explanation is a recent act of cowardice by the Music Hall’s management.

Earlier in October, the Music Hall unilaterally cancelled a scheduled event by the Lovering Center of Greenland, NH. The stated reason was security concerns. What terrified Music Hall president Tina Sawtelle was news that a peaceful protest was planned outside the venue. There was no suggestion that violence or disruptive activity would happen, but the Music Hall management thought that a simple protest placed the theater in too much danger. I wonder if they barricaded their doors and windows during the October 18 “No Kings” protest in Portsmouth, which was vastly bigger. The description of the planned Music Hall protest said it was “to hold signs, pray, fill the sidewalks with chalk messages of hope and truth, and enjoy each other’s fellowship.” You don’t have to agree with their cause to recognize that it’s legitimate activity under the First Amendment.

It all started with one person letting the Music Hall know about a report of a planned protest. There was no hint of anything threatening, but some people see threats everywhere. The Music Hall cancelled the event with just six days’ notice. I don’t know what the cancellation terms were, but even if the organizers got all their money back, they had to find another venue, work out the logistics, and publicize it. I’ve been involved in enough conventions to know how stressful that gets.

When the event was held at the new venue, two protesters showed up, and I haven’t heard there was any trouble.

I don’t know how much this action contributed to the low attendance at the Portsmouth Symphony concert, but people may have stayed away out of distaste for the Music Hall’s actions.

This isn’t an issue of which side you’re on. If your sympathies are with the Lovering Center, then you certainly see they were treated unfairly. But so were the protesters, being painted as a violent threat when all they wanted to do was exercise their First Amendment rights. Next time it could be a conservative speaker who’s cancelled. No one won. Least of all the Music Hall, which has suffered a significant loss in public trust.