BEVERLY HILLS (CNS) - Beverly Hills has banned most nighttime gatherings of at least 10 people in residential streets and other public places in residential areas in response to two protests that “disrupted the tranquility'' of a neighborhood.
The proclamation, issued late Saturday by City Manager George Chavez in his role as director of emergency services, came in response to a second nighttime protest in a residential area conducted by the group OCCUPY that began at 10 p.m. Friday and continued until approximately 1 a.m. Saturday, according to the proclamation.
The protest “included bullhorns and amplified music and disrupted the tranquility of the residential neighborhood during hours when many people would be ordinarily sleeping,'' the proclamation said. The order is in effect from 9 p.m. to 8 a.m., and will remain in effect until further notice. Violating the order is punishable as a misdemeanor under the Beverly Hills Municipal Code, according to the proclamation. Assemblies that are silent, such as candlelight vigils, and gatherings on private property are exempt.
The order defines an assembly as “any gathering or group of 10 or more people'' on a public street, sidewalk, alley, park or other public place “if those 10 people have a common purpose or goal.'' The order was issued at 9:55 p.m. Saturday under the powers granted to Chavez by the proclamation of a local emergency he issued May 30 following “widespread acts of violence and property damage by people who were taking advantage of the protests concerning the tragic death of George Floyd.'' The order essentially covers every area of the city except its