The call is for Governor Maura Healey to develop a statewide policy that covers protests and provides safety. As governor, she can bring together her Public Safety and Education Secretaries, attorney general, and whoever else is needed to develop such a policy based on best practices.  There needs to be a standard policy or guidelines across the state, so students can expect the same type of treatment at all colleges. This would also make it easier to provide training to public safety decision makers on college campuses. Of course, the universities could implement the guidelines as they see fit. With the benefit of best practices, they would be making informed decisions.

What we don’t want to happen is end up with a student getting shot like at Kent State University in Ohio or Jackson State University in May of 1970. This risk is increasing as in some protests, outsiders have taken advantage of the situation. When the protests get out of hand, there is a possibility that the state police or National Guard may be called in. That means the governor will be involved.

The response to campus protests has varied widely across the country. Now is the time to study what has worked, what hasn’t, and develop best practices. We can review and learn from the history of protests in the U.S. and worldwide, in places such as Northern Ireland and Nigeria. What could we learn from how the Occupy Wall Street movement was managed in different cities around the world?

Some believe campus protests will be all over in a few weeks, once students graduate and other students leave for the summer. However, the problem might not be solved that easily. Students might be freer to protest over the summer.

There is a larger issue, the political polarization and violence in the country. No matter who wins the next presidential election, we must be prepared. We have witnessed the violence that ensued on Jan. 6 at the nation’s capital and Black Lives Matter protests, which had violent confrontations between the police and demonstrators. The left and right are willing to engage in violent protests and we must be prepared.

We should view providing safety to all students and especially at this moment safety for Jewish, Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian students and view them as the canary in the coal mine.

Gov. Healey, as a former attorney general, is the perfect person to help balance the needs of free speech, peaceful protests, protection, and law and order. Attorney General Andrea Campbell, an African American aware of the progress gained from peaceful protests, would also be perfect in crafting the right policies. The governor should use this time to develop policies that protect the rights of all stakeholders and prepare us for worst case scenarios.

Ed Gaskin is Executive Director of Greater Grove Hall Main Streets and founder of Sunday Celebrations.