Concert Protests DC Noise Ordinance

Gathering on the steps of White-Gravenor Hall to protest the District's late-night noise ordinance, 39 students from area universities voiced their concerns at DC Students Speak's "Noise Concert" Thursday night.

Held from 9 p.m. to about 9:50 p.m., the concert was meant to underscore student disatisfaction with the noise regulations instituted in February that prohibit residents from making any loud noise between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. that could bother one or more neighbors in their homes. Violators of the law can be fined up to $500 or face up to 90 days in prison.

"We think that the noise ordinance is questionably legal [and] not in the interest of students or D.C. residents," said Scott Stirrett (SFS '13), chair and founder of DC Students Speak, a District-wide organization that aims to represent the 85,000 college students living in D.C. "We are taking a reasonable stance because we sympathize with noise ordinances. However, this in particular takes it too far and infringes on the civil liberties of students and district residents."

The concert featured performances of slam poetry and Greek guitar music, as well as a cappella performances from the female international group Harmony and the Georgetown Chimes.

After the gig, Chimes member Matthew Gorey (COL '12) described his own run-in with the noise ordinance.

"I first came in contact with this issue when I was singing outside at 11 p.m. with a 91-year-old former Chime. A police officer approached us and said there had been reports of excessive noise and we could be arrested if we did not stop," he said.

For concert attendee Sorina Radu (SFS '12), the law is too subjective.

"I think that the noise ordinance is unfair because it is up to the judgment of the police officer to determine excessive noise. It does not set a standard for any D.C. resident to follow and abide by. People don't know what is legal or illegal," she said.

According to DC Students Speak, the noise ordinance issue represents just one of the ways the D.C. government discriminates against college students. Stirrett pointed to recent issues, including the possible gerrymandering of Advisory Neighborhood Commission district lines in the often contentious 2E jurisdiction, which includes Georgetown.

"Students' interests are not taken into account across the board because leaders do not see us as constituents," he said. "That's why we need student voters from safe districts or non-competitive states to register to vote in the District of Columbia."

To encourage voting, the Noise Concert featured voter registration opportunities. The group also gave attendees the chance to join a "menace list" to coordinate calls to local ANC offices to protest the noise ordinance.

Most attendees seemed to agree with the viewpoint of DC Students Speak.

"Some noise ordinance is necessary, but not the one they have now," said Allison Link (SFS '14).

"The law needs specifics — right now it's too much of a blanket statement," added Thomas Brooke (NHS '14).

Although the event faced some technical difficulties and had a smaller than desired audience after being rescheduled twice, Stirrett was optimistic.

"We had some difficulties, but I'm still glad we did it. I hope people enjoyed the concert."