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Right to Physical Security
You have the right to be free from uninvited physical contact that is harmful or offensive . Relatedly , you have the right to be free from true threats of physical harm . Similarly , you have an obligation to avoid making such threats , even when you are provoked . State laws and school policies generally prohibit such threats and the First Amendment ( see page 17 ) does not protect them .
A statement is considered a “ true threat ” when a reasonable person would foresee that the statement would be interpreted as a serious expression of intent to cause physical harm .
Generally , a statement made as part of a political speech is likely to be considered a rhetorical device and is protected speech . By contrast , a statement that conveys an actual plan to carry out violence against a specific individual is likely to be considered an expression of intent to cause physical harm