Brea Targets Downtown Protest Rallies With Far-Reaching Ordinance

Any activist wanting to hold a protest in downtown Brea drawing a few dozen or more like-minded people may have to endure a new, heavily-regulated permitting process. This evening, city council will consider the benignly-titled "Public Assembly Ordinance" during its meeting, but liberal groups and labor unions who've protested outside Republican Congressman Ed Royce's office downtown are already decrying the effort as chilling crackdown on the First Amendment. "This is an effort to silence Royce's constituents," says Ada Briceño, co-president of Unite Here Local 11. "Brea should not be covering up for him. It's absolutely unacceptable."

Read more on my latest OC Weekly Navel Gazing Blog post:

http://www.ocweekly.com/news/liberal-groups-denounce-ordinance-regulating-protests-in-brea