Lancaster anti-gang ordinance passes

OFF THE WIRE
http://ourweekly.com/antelope-valley/lancaster-anti-gang-ordinance-passes
Lancaster anti-gang ordinance passes

BY: Brittney M. Walker
Source: Our Weekly
Community blasts council’s actions

LANCASTER, Calif.—Tuesday night, the City Council Chamber was filled
with an ethnically diverse group of Lancaster residents and an unusual
number of Sheriff’s deputies lined the back wall of the room.

City officials proposed Ordinance No. 953 two weeks ago in response to
suspected gang-related shootings and supposed intimidation within the
community.

The ordinance was created to restrict and dismantle the gang presence
throughout the city. According to the new law, members of criminal
street gangs are prohibited from attending city-sponsored events;
appearing at public locations; or congregating on front porches with
the intent to intimidate or commit a crime.

While the council passed the measure 4-0 (Council member Ron Smith was
absent), many locals are not in support of the new law and voiced
their opinions as a packed city council meeting.

Representatives from local motorcycle clubs, including the
FBI-classified street gang—the Vagos—told the council during public
comments, that they are against the ordinance, because it will give
local law enforcement the excuse to harass people dressed in biker
attire, or those who officers assume are gang affiliated.

But the council claims the ordinance is carefully worded so that
anyone who is “flying colors” with no illegal intention will not be
cited.

According to the city, a gang is an organization of three or more
people with the primary goal or activity of committing crimes.

Gregory Fernandez, a motorcycle accident and biker’s rights attorney
called the ordinance unconstitutional.

“This ordinance is going to give unfettered discretion to law
enforcement to aim this at (any person),” he said from the podium. His
comments drew enthusiastic audience applause. “This is unduly vague,
its over broad, and it will give unfettered discretion to law
enforcement.”

Mayor R. Rex Parris frequently interrupted speakers during their
three-minute speech, and constantly challenged them with
sarcastic-sounding questions, and unwarranted inquiries.

The mayor threatened to have audience members, who often cheered and
jeered, removed by deputies if disruptions continued. At least two
attendees were removed by a group of officers.

Paris tried to justify the ordinance as speakers began to challenge
its validity.

“Everybody in this room knows that when certain motorcycle clubs with
their colors come into a family event, people become frightened, and I
don’t think that it’s appropriate—at least in our city—to allow that
to continue. People have a right to go to community events without
being so frightened they leave,” Paris said, admitting that he is
frightened, when the Vagos go to a public event.

The crowd disagreed and demanded proof of intimidation. Many suggested
the city council and Sheriff’s Department were gangs, instilling fear
in the community.

Ansar “Stan” Muhammad, co-founder of The Community Action League
(TCAL) and with the H.E.L.P.E.R. Foundation, presented his foundation
and ideas as an alternative to the ordinance.

“Looking at what happened in Los Angeles with the gang injunction,
there are a lot of young people (who are) not gang-related or
gang-affiliated (who) may wear certain clothes; they may look a
certain way,” Muhammad said Tuesday night. “The concern is this: Will
those young people be targeted? The African American and Latino males
and females in particular, will they be targeted?”

He further explained that with the gang injunction in Los Angeles,
non-affiliated young people were harassed and arrested by law
enforcement officers simply because of their appearance.
An emotional presentation from a young African American man native to
the area related it has been his experience with the Sheriff’s
Department that he has been targeted, not because he committed a
crime, but because he is Black and dresses a certain way.

Parris’ response was simply, “When did this occur?” The mayor said he
would “look into” the terrible encounters several speakers revealed
they had with law enforcement. He also offered to work with a
motorcycle club affiliate and a Lancaster resident to resolve their
concerns. However, despite the mayor asking the audience to offer
solutions and receiving suggestions from members of TCAL and other
activists, Parris failed to acknowledge their solutions or make steps
to contact any of them.

“You don’t need the ordinance, you’re already doing it,” said Emmitt
Murrell, co-founder of TCAL. When asked his thoughts about the mayor
failing to publicly invited TCAL to the table to present solutions, he
responded that he was glad Parris didn’t invite them.

“I am really almost glad that he didn’t, because I would hate for the
community to think that we sold out their interests just to sit at a
table with him,” he added outside of the council chambers. He said
TCAL would most likely obtain legal representation to fight the
ordinance.

The ordinance takes effect immediately. This means, law enforcement
officers will now issue written citations to anyone who is affiliated
with a criminal street gang, if they are found loitering on public
property or at an establishment open to the public wearing their
colors or other symbols with the intention to commit a crime,
intimidate, or claim territory. Intention is left to be determined by
the deputy handling the incident. More information is available on the
city’s website www.lancasterca.org.