Newport Beach city leaders, law enforcement officials and residents gathered on Tuesday to discuss the Fourth of July disturbances that led to 439 arrests throughout the holiday weekend and prompted concerns about public safety, planning and crowd control.
The meeting drew such a large turnout that the city opened an overflow room to accommodate attendees. Residents told city officials they were frightened by the events and called for stronger enforcement and better planning ahead of future holiday celebrations.
“Newport Beach needs to establish a genuine reputation for year-round enforcement,” one resident said during public comment…