(a) This division shall be known and may be cited as the "Aurora Street Gang Enforcement and Prevention Ordinance."

(b) The city council finds and declares that it is the right of every person, regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, or handicap, to be secure and protected from intimidation and physical harm caused by the activities of violent groups and individuals. It is not the intent of this division to interfere with the exercise of the constitutionally protected rights of freedom of expression and association. The city council recognizes the constitutional right of every citizen to harbor and express beliefs on any lawful subject whatsoever, to lawfully associate with others who share similar beliefs, to petition lawfully constituted authority for a redress of perceived grievances, and to participate in the electoral process.

(c) The city council, however, further finds that the citizens of the city are concerned as a result of violent street gangs whose members threaten, terrorize, and commit a multitude of crimes against the peaceful citizens of their neighborhoods. These activities, both individually and collectively, present a clear and present danger to public order and safety and are not constitutionally protected. The city council finds that there are several criminal street gangs operating in the city and that the number of gang-related crimes is increasing. It is the intent of the city council in enacting this division to seek the eradication of criminal activity by street gangs by focusing upon patterns of criminal gang activity and upon the organized nature of street gangs, which, together, are the chief source of terror created by street gangs. (Code 1979, § 27-170)