Alameda County supervisors on Tuesday are considering an ordinance that would make it illegal to watch a sideshow, imposing steep fines and possible jail time for violators.
Some Bay Area cities already have laws that ban people from watching sideshows, but in this case, it's being decided at the county level.
Alameda County's proposal to ban sideshow spectators subjects violators to a $1,000 fine, up to 6 months in jail or both. It's co-authored by county Sheriff Yesenia Sanches and Board of Supervisors President Nathan Miley.
The goal, they say, is to give law enforcement another tool to crack down on illegal sideshows and the injuries and damage that come with them. Sideshows often attract hundreds of spectators and add to the public safety issues.
Opponents of the proposal say it violates the First Amendment's right to peacefully assemble.
The Oakland City Council passed an ordinance last month that makes it illegal for people to organize, facilitate or participate in a sideshow. But the council did not include penalties to spectators because city officials said it wasn't clear who they could define as a spectator.
The Alameda County Board of Supervisors meeting started at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.
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