Are You Planning a Huge Party in Brooklyn? That’s Cool, but You May Need to Notify the Police First.
In today’s installment of “Silly Things Brooklyn City Council Members Do,” councilman Jumaane Williams is attempting to propose legislation that would require you to notify the police and your respective community board if you’re planning a party where more than 40 people are expected to show up, at least three days in advance of it. Another, perhaps more logistically reasonable prong of the proposition requests there be fines for so-called “house clubs,” where parties (or partays) are advertised on social media and there’s a cover at the door and/or for drinks. (Oh, hey, by the way, if your friends are charging you at the door to attend a party, maybe find new friends?) (Unless said party falls under the category of “house show” with bands, then no need to find new friends. Your friends are cool.)
In Williams’ defense, this comes in response to a recent shooting where a man was allegedly denied entry to a party in East Flatbush, opening fire on the crowd of about 60 people and hitting eight of them. “We think when there’s 200, 300 people in a backyard, and this happens on a routine basis, you’re really inviting trouble,” he said at a press conference last week. … “All we said is we have to inform the precinct and inform the community aboard. You wouldn’t have to ask for approval. You wouldn’t have to ask for permission.”
Fair enough? Or an infringement of that whole First Amendment “right of assembly” thing? Or should we just make it simple and plan to have huge ragers at your parents’ house in Staten Island from here on out? The obvious choice is option #3. Your parents’ house has much better snacks.
