Walk is chalked again

About 30 students exercised their right to free speech yesterday afternoon by covering Locust Walk with chalk slogans ranging from "Fight Oppression Everywhere" to "Queers are here to stay." The protest took over where a Tuesday morning demonstration left off. QUIP -- Queers Invading Penn -- had "decorated" the Walk with various anti-homophobic slogans. But before many students could see the QUIP slogans during yesterday's protest, Physical Plant workers washed the Walk clean, under the assumption that the chalk slogans constituted vandalism. Under the University's revised Open Expression guidelines, however, "chalking" the Walk falls under the protection of free speech -- as long as the chalk is soluable and does not permanently damage the Walk. Ken Neborak, the plant supervisor of hard surfaces, said he was not aware of the revised guidelines when he supervised the cleaning of the Walk on Tuesday. "We were told to leave [the Walk] alone today, so we'll leave it alone," he said. Neborak, who said he does support freedom of speech, added that he takes pride in the cleanliness of the campus. "Everyone has the right to their own opinion, but it sure doesn't look good [on the Walk]," he said. Daren Wade, a QUIP member and graduate student in the School of Social Work, said he organized "a concerned group of students" for the second chalk protest. "We have the right to protest on campus," he said. "We got together today to protest the erasure of QUIP's protest [yesterday] and to protest against sexism, racism and homophobia." The protestors, who were accompanied by two members of the Open Expression Committee to ensure their right to free speech, began "chalking" the Walk in front of Van Pelt Library at 1 p.m. Social Work graduate student Jim Leonard said he participated in "chalking" the Walk to uphold his rights and promote acceptance. "I'm down here doing this because I think we have the right to express ourselves," he said. "And I think we all should be more accepting of diversity." College freshman Abra Anderson witnessed the "chalking" and said she supports the prostestors' efforts. "I think free expression is important," she said. "And [chalking the Walk] is a good way to get your message across." College sophomore Meredith Francis said she sides with the demonstrator's intentions. "I'm really glad they're trying to diversify the Walk," she said. "I hope it works, but I don't know that just having a presence on campus will be enough." Not all spectators agreed with the chalk protest, including some residents of the nearby Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity house who watched as the Walk in front of their house became covered with chalk. "What if we wrote 'I love Phi Kap' all over the Walk," said College senior and Phi Kap brother Dan Block. "Does our freedom of speech include washing their [slogans] off?" As he and others watched, one protestor wrote "Homosexuality -- a GREEK tradition" in front of their house, which outraged some residents. "We can live with whatever else they write, 'Diversify the Walk,' whatever, but not that," said College senior and Phi Kap brother Paul Napoli. "You can guarantee that'll be gone by tonight." Napoli added that he was disturbed by how the chalk slogans would be seen by prospective students. "I don't think they'll be coming," he said. "I sure as shit wouldn't."