Group fights for its right to party

June Casagrande

Do some city policies parallel the brutal rule of Saddam Hussein? Do

a hammer and sickle on a red flag make an apt symbol for Newport? The

Web site FreeNewport.com answers yes to both.

The site and a fledgling group of residents by the same name

appeared on the local political scene about two months ago to fight

what they see as some ill-conceived and iron-fisted city policies.

Topping their list of gripes is the city’s crackdown of Fourth of

July partying in West Newport.

But spokesman Brian Clarkson said the group plans to fight for its

version of freedom on a number of fronts. Noisy police helicopter

patrols, alcohol sale and delivery restrictions that “are nothing

short of prohibition” and city policies they say are designed to

drive bars out of the area are also raising the FreeNewport’s ire.

“Our mission is to inform, educate and motivate the residents of

West Newport as to what’s going on,” Clarkson said.

For example, he said, the city’s approach to Fourth of July

problems is all wrong. While city leaders decry statistics like the

162 arrests and 1,344 citations handed out in West Newport last

Independence Day, Clarkson said this paints a skewed picture.

“Consider the percentages,” he said. By his math, of the 50,000

visitors who descend on West Newport for the holiday, arrests

represent only 0.32%, which he says isn’t so bad.

The group also challenges the city’s emphasis on the cost of

policing the area for the holiday. The $90,000 cost of extra police

is easily offset by the sales tax revenues and fines issued on the

holiday, according to estimates on the group’s Web site.

“They’re misinforming the residents,” Clarkson said, adding that

the group has dozens of supporters. “This really isn’t good reason to

go putting all those laws into effect. If the problem is the

outsiders, then why are they creating laws that restrict residents?”

FreeNewport debuted on the local political front at Tuesday’s City

Council meeting. Clarkson and several supporters came out to oppose a

council item on Fourth of July restrictions. The restrictions

included prohibiting alcohol deliveries to liquor stores on the

Fourth of July, forbidding stores from using their parking lots to

store or sell liquor and designating a portion of West Newport as a

“safe zone.”

The council approved the first reading of the restrictions,

passing the matter on for a final vote their May 13 meeting.

FreeNewport will be there.

“We hope to get dozens of people out to show them that they don’t

represent the residents,” Clarkson said, adding that the group is

conducting a petition drive with the help of some local businesses.

City leaders don’t seem swayed.

“What we have down there is a significant problem and it’s just a

matter of time before someone suffers a serious injury,” Councilman

Tod Ridgeway said. “The city has an obligation to protect the

residents.”

Ridgeway also defended the city’s approach, saying that city

policies are designed to protect residents.

“There are bars up in L.A. where you see advertisements to ride a

bus down to Newport for the day for the Fourth of July. Things are

getting worse, not better. We’re trying to create a deterrent for

future visits of this type to Newport Beach,” Ridgeway said.

* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport. She

may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at

june.casagrande@latimes.com.