Newport Beach to Review Crowd Controls After July 4 Arrests
More than 300 people were detained during July 4 celebrations in Newport Beach, prompting city officials to consider stricter regulations on beach gatherings and youth curfews.
City officials in Newport Beach, California, are preparing to tighten rules governing beach crowds after a surge of arrests during the July 4 holiday. Over 300 individuals, most under 25 and many from out of state, were detained after incidents that included illegal fireworks, fights and a reported robbery at a grocery store on the Balboa Peninsula.
At a recent City Council meeting, residents urged leaders to act, citing the city’s growing reputation for tolerating disruptive behavior. Maureen Cotton, president of a local community group, told council members that the disturbance was a predictable outcome of that reputation.
The council plans to examine a range of measures, such as instituting a youth curfew, expanding the definition of public nuisance and limiting mass gatherings organized through social-media platforms.