The Newport Record Their record, on the record.

July 4, 2026. Balboa Peninsula.

402arrests

From the city’s own news release, July 5: “From midnight on July 3 through 6 a.m. on July 5, officers made 402 arrests, compared with 60 during the same period last year.” The count in the council’s approved July 14 minutes, and in the ordinance the council later adopted, is 439.

402: Source 1. 439: Source 2 and Source 6.

A frame from the city's drone video of the July 4, 2026 crowd on the sand near Newport Pier: hundreds of people running and scattering across the beach, with a bright flash at the center of the crowd.
The city’s own drone video of the July 4 crowd, played by the city manager at the July 14, 2026 council meeting. City video, 11:21. Select the frame to open the meeting video. Source 2.

What the council did

Four dates, from the city’s agendas, minutes and video.

  1. KleimanD6, incumbent

    At the council’s study session on the Fourth of July, Mayor Lauren Kleiman laid out the plan. The approved minutes: she “summarized a comprehensive set of proposed policy directions, including: tighter unaccompanied minor restrictions and enhanced curfew authority for the police chief during safety enhancement zone periods; parent accountability measures … an unlawful mass gathering ordinance with enhanced penalties and emergency closure authority.”

    July 14 minutes, approved July 28
  2. KleimanD6, incumbent

    Six requests on the council agenda carry her name: a minor curfew ordinance, an unlawful mass gathering ordinance, special event rules for gatherings organized through social media, a public nuisance ordinance, parent accountability measures, and Safety Enhancement Zone changes. Each one is marked “(Mayor Kleiman).” The minutes: “All A-1 matters were approved collectively by a unanimous straw vote of the Council.”

    July 28 agenda, page 4 July 28 minutes
  3. WeigandD3, incumbent

    Ordinance 2026-15 came to the council. Councilmember Grant proposed deferring the vote. The minutes: “Councilmember Weigand supported proceeding with the vote, noting the multiple enumerated exceptions within the curfew provisions and the discretion afforded to law enforcement.” Then: “Motion to introduce Ordinance No. 2026-15 and pass to a second reading on September 22, 2026, was made by Councilmember Weigand and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Blom. The motion carried by unanimous vote, 7-0.”

    Sept 8 minutes; city video, 1:25:37 and 1:27:26
  4. KleimanD6, incumbentWeigandD3, incumbent

    Second reading. With all seven council members present, the ordinance was adopted on the consent calendar by unanimous vote, and the clerk read Ordinance 2026-15 among the ordinances adopted.

    City video, September 22, 1:09:17 and 1:10:03

What the ordinance says

Ordinance 2026-15, from the text the council adopted.

  1. The hours

    Inside the West Newport Safety Enhancement Zone, a minor may not be on any beach, plaza, park or public right-of-way “between the hours of 6:00 p.m. on Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day, and 6:00 a.m. the following day.” Citywide, the curfew stays 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

    Ordinance 2026-15, section 10.36.030(A) and (B)
  2. The exceptions

    Ten. The first is “a minor accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or adult over the age of 25 whom the minor’s parent or legal guardian has authorized to care for the minor.” The others cover travel through the city, going straight home, emergencies, work, a vehicle breakdown, the minor’s own property and the sidewalk in front of it, organized school and similar activities, and more.

    Ordinance 2026-15, section 10.36.030(D)
  3. Parents

    “It shall be unlawful for a parent or guardian of a minor to knowingly permit a minor to violate” the curfew, “or after obtaining knowledge of a curfew violation, fail to exercise reasonable supervision to prevent continued violations by the minor.”

    Ordinance 2026-15, section 10.36.030(C)
  4. The fines

    Inside a Safety Enhancement Zone the fine is tripled, or where none is set: up to $300 for a first violation, $600 for a second within a year, and $1,000 for each further violation within a year.

    Ordinance 2026-15, section 1.04.010(B)

What the challengers said

Both spoke to the council on the night it adopted the ordinance. Their words, whole, with the time on the city’s video.

Walter StahrD3, challenger

Walter Stahr, at the podium and in writing

Watch: Walter Stahr to the City Council, September 22, 2026. The city’s video, 1:00:24 to 1:00:49, from his first word to his last. The same moment on the city’s YouTube channel. Source 9.
“As Jim said, I think it’s in violation of the California Coastal Act. I think it’s in violation of those rights which the Declaration of Independence mentions that are given to us by our Creator for teenagers to be out and about on those days.”

Walter Stahr to the City Council, September 22, 2026. City video, 1:00:33. Source 9.

The sentence before it, at 1:00:23: “You are shutting down a huge portion of the city on three days of the year from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.” “Those days” are the three holidays the ordinance names.

The next morning he emailed the council. From the email:

“Hundreds of teenagers are going to violate the letter of the new curfew every night.”

The sentence that follows: “Thousands of teenagers are going to violate the new 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. West Newport holiday curfew.”

Walter Stahr, email to the City Council, “Curfew Ordinance,” September 23, 2026, 8:06 a.m. Full text of the email. Source 7.

Andrew GerkenD6, challenger

Andrew Gerken, in print and at the podium

Watch: Andrew Gerken to the City Council, September 22, 2026. The city’s video, 1:02:42 to 1:04:02, his whole comment. The “kids from Arizona” sentence is at 1:03:22. The same moment on the city’s YouTube channel. Source 9.
“Rather than vanity videos, perhaps we should have invested in a police intern to monitor social media to be better forewarned about potential disruptions.”

Andy Gerken, “Residents deserve answers for July fourth riot,” guest opinion, Newport Beach Independent, July 17, 2026. Source 8.

The two sentences before it: “Presumably, the video which Kleiman showed in her community forums was designed to discourage disruptive behavior by holiday visitors. It clearly was not successful.” The video is the city’s “Not in Newport” video, posted before the holiday; the op-ed describes it earlier in the piece.

September 8, the night the ordinance was introduced. The minutes: “Andrew Gerken also suggested seeking external expertise before finalizing the ordinance.” Source 5.

September 22, the night it was adopted:

“Thousands or tons of kids from Arizona are going to say, really? … it almost spurs them on to do it more.”

Andrew Gerken to the City Council, September 22, 2026. City video, 1:03:22. Source 9.

Editorial

Where The Record stands

Lauren Kleiman wrote the plan. Erik Weigand made the motion. The council passed the curfew, 7-0, and adopted it unanimously.

Keep Kleiman and Weigand.

Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Every Newport voter votes on both seats.

District 3
Keep Erik WeigandincumbentnotWalter Stahrchallenger
District 6
Keep Lauren KleimanincumbentnotAndrew Gerkenchallenger
Read the full endorsement

Sources

  1. 1City of Newport Beach, news release, “City of Newport Beach Restores Order Following Fourth of July Public Safety Incident,” posted July 5, 2026, 3:44 p.m.: “From midnight on July 3 through 6 a.m. on July 5, officers made 402 arrests, compared with 60 during the same period last year.” newportbeachca.gov. Retrieved September 21 and 28, 2026.
  2. 2City of Newport Beach, City Council minutes, July 14, 2026, approved July 28, 2026: study session on the Fourth of July. “Total arrests from July 3 at 6:00 PM through July 5 at 6:00 AM numbered 439, with 328 attributable to the mass arrest incident.” Mayor Kleiman’s list of policy directions. The minutes (Word file, city Legistar). The city’s video of the meeting: Granicus, clip 4637; the drone footage plays at 10:49 to 11:29. Retrieved September 21 and 28, 2026.
  3. 3City of Newport Beach, City Council agenda, July 28, 2026, page 4, “Matters Which Councilmembers Have Asked to Be Placed on a Future Agenda,” items 1 to 6, each marked “(Mayor Kleiman).” The agenda (PDF, city Legistar). Retrieved September 21 and 28, 2026.
  4. 4City of Newport Beach, City Council minutes, July 28, 2026, approved August 25, 2026: “All A-1 matters were approved collectively by a unanimous straw vote of the Council.” The minutes (Word file, city Legistar). Retrieved September 21 and 28, 2026.
  5. 5City of Newport Beach, City Council minutes, September 8, 2026, item 2, Ordinance 2026-15, approved September 22, 2026: Councilmember Weigand’s motion, Mayor Pro Tem Blom’s second, the 7-0 vote, and the public comment of Andrew Gerken. The minutes (Word file, city Legistar); the September 8 agenda (PDF). The city’s video of the meeting: Granicus, clip 4653; Gerken at 1:21:52, Weigand’s motion at 1:25:37, the vote at 1:27:26. Retrieved September 21 and 28, 2026.
  6. 6City of Newport Beach, Ordinance No. 2026-15, “Amending the Newport Beach Municipal Code to Address Illegal Activity and Public Safety During High-Risk Periods and Other Significant Crowd Events,” the text adopted September 22, 2026 (Attachment A to item 2): sections 10.36.030(A) to (D) and 1.04.010(B); the recital on page 3 (“approximately 439 arrests”). The ordinance (PDF, city Legistar); the September 22 agenda (PDF). Retrieved September 21 and 28, 2026.
  7. 7Walter Stahr, email to the Newport Beach City Council, “Curfew Ordinance,” September 23, 2026, 8:06 a.m., a public comment on the ordinance. Full text of the email. Listed as Source 13 on the front page. Retrieved September 26, 2026.
  8. 8Andy Gerken, “Residents deserve answers for July fourth riot,” guest opinion, Newport Beach Independent, July 17, 2026. Copy of the Independent’s page (PDF); the same text on his campaign site, gerkenfornewport.com. Listed as Source 14 on the front page. Retrieved September 21 and 26, 2026.
  9. 9City of Newport Beach, City Council meeting, September 22, 2026, the city’s own video, “City of Newport Beach Council Meeting September 22, 2026,” YouTube, VWps6G8-xu0. Public comment on Ordinance 2026-15: Walter Stahr at 1:00:23 to 1:00:50; Andrew Gerken at 1:02:40 to 1:03:50. Final adoption on the consent calendar at about 1:09:17; the clerk reads the adopted ordinances at 1:10:03. Listed as Source 17 on the front page. Retrieved September 28, 2026.