Photo by christaki

Via WaPo, it seems Ward 1 D.C. Council member Jim Graham has brought back one of his favorite chestnuts, a piece of anti-loitering legislation that would allow police officers to issue $300 fines to groups of two or more people gathered in areas that police have determined are “known for illegal activity.”

Graham introduced similar bills in 2005 and 2007. Both times, the legislation was torpedoed by civil rights concerns. This version would apparently give the mayor authority to create rules that would protect “persons who are engaged in assembly protected by the Constitution.” How that would actually work seems a bit murky, but the Post reports that this time around, Graham has more supporters on the Council: five other members (Alexander, Bowser, Kwame Brown, Catania and Evans) signed on as co-sponsors.