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SF officials consider 'flash mob' crackdown

Monday, March 09, 2009

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SAN FRANCISCO — 

San Francisco officials say they're considering a crackdown on "flash mob" gatherings after some recent events left the city with a hefty bill.

The counterculture fad involves a mob of participants that suddenly materializes in a public place, engages in odd behavior and then disperses. The events, promoted through Web sites and word of mouth, range from street-corner pie fights to seemingly spontaneous sidewalk dances.

San Francisco's Recreation and Park Department says a massive Valentine's Day pillow fight cost the city more than $20,000 to clean up mounds of feathers that clogged storm drains and caked up sidewalks.

Officials say they want organizers to go through the city's permitting process.

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Information from: San Francisco Chronicle, http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle

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