Street Scene to Close Early, Restrict Liquor

The annual Los Angeles Street Scene will feature shorter hours, less booze, softer rock and tighter security this summer under orders of the City Council.

Wary of a recurrence of the violence that occurred during last year’s festival--violence that included a fatal shooting, an alleged rape and four stabbings--the council approved the tougher Street Scene regulations on a 12-0 vote Tuesday. There was no debate.

Mayor Tom Bradley, who earlier had threatened to shut down the popular two-day festival, has said he will support the changes recommended by a council committee. The annual downtown festival, which started in 1978, has attracted crowds estimated at 1 million.

The 1987 Street Scene--tentatively scheduled for late August--will shut down at 7:30 p.m. under the new guidelines. Previously, the curfew was 10 p.m.

Among the other changes:

- Sale of alcohol will stop at 6 p.m., and the sale and consumption will be limited to three or four specific areas. Previously, drinkers could wander freely in the downtown blocks cordoned off for the festival.

- Entertainment will be structured with a greater emphasis on “family-oriented entertainment and limit the young adult-oriented programming to ‘mainstream’ rock and roll.”

- Security personnel will man entrances to provide extra surveillance of the crowd.

The council also asked the police and fire departments to assess the adequacy of the planned security.