Mandate appropriate in situation
We support freedom of speech and believe citizens have the right to protest, whatever the cause; however, if Haley's claims of toilet paper and other trash being strewn about on the Statehouse grounds are true, something needs to be done. The point of protesting is to raise awareness and convey a message. Trashing public property does neither of those things, and it is unacceptable. The Statehouse isn't a landfill.
For that matter, it isn't a campground, either. People shouldn't be living on the grounds for a month straight. Protest during the day; go home at night.
Restricting protesting to the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. makes sense. For one, more people pass by during the day to read the signs and ultimately get the message than at night.
Also, as far as safety is concerned, more crime tends to happen at night. In the middle of an urban area, a large group of people gathered together throughout the night fosters an environment for crime. Luckily, Columbia's movement hasn't had the same number of problems as New York's protests — rampant theft, sexual assault and myriad other crimes — but the risks of these all increase at night.
Protesting is important and essential to democracy. But protesting must be peaceful, and legal.