93. The burden rests on the authorities throughout the process to justify and substantiate any restrictions imposed. IV. Protection 94. States shall ensure the protection of all assemblies, public and private, from interference, harassment, intimidation and attacks by third parties and non-state actors. a. Authorities shall take particular care to ensure that marginalized and discriminated-against communities can assemble and voice their concerns free from interference, harassment, intimidation or attacks. b. Where third parties aim to interfere, harass, intimidate or attack a peaceful assembly, the response of the authorities shall not be to ban or disperse the peaceful assembly, but rather to take measures to protect the assembly and to allow it to proceed. 95. The authorities shall ensure the protection and rights of bystanders and other citizens. 96. The costs of security and safety measures shall be fully born by the state. Financial charges shall not be levied on protest organizers and participants. 97. Persons have the right to assemble as counter-demonstrators, and thus simultaneous protests and counter-demonstrations shall not be banned. Rather, public safety authorities shall ensure that all demonstrations may proceed peacefully. a. Authorities shall protect simultaneous counter-demonstrations as well as original demonstrations, where both are peaceful. The authorities shall facilitate the ability of such assemblies to occur within sight and sound of one another. b. Counter-demonstrations shall not be allowed to violate the right to freedom of assembly of the first party, nor vice versa.73 73 Meaning that such demonstrations must not be allowed to disrupt in a direct way the activities of other demonstrations. 30 |  African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights