Festival Should Foster Harmony

Irvine Mayor Christina L. Shea has put a dispute between the Iranian community and the city on the right path toward resolution. She wants the city to work with county park officials, Irvine police and local Iranian leaders to avoid some of the problems that surfaced during this year’s Iranian New Year celebration. Her intervention is welcome.

Every year, a sign of spring near William R. Mason Regional Park is the arrival of thousands of members of Southern California’s Iranian-American community. The event, known as Sez-deh Bedar, usually is held 13 days after the Zoroastrian New Year. At that time, Iranians around the world meet at parks, beaches and other outdoor venues. For more than a decade, Irvine has been the gathering place for the largest celebration of the Iranian New Year outside Iran.

Since parking is limited, attendees spill over into surrounding neighborhoods. Residents have come to recognize the arrival of this event by the appearance of well-behaved visitors leaving their automobiles for the day in neighborhoods that often have few cars.

This year, the parking situation appears to have been a cause of friction. Police Chief Charles Brobeck warned attendees that a shuttle service that took participants from the UC Irvine parking lot had been discontinued. He urged those arriving to be prepared to walk longer distances and carry fewer belongings. He also suggested that celebrants consider going to some of the other regional parks.

The county recently took more control of the event by charging booth operators $225 for a spot and by raising parking fees for the day to $10 from $4. A lot off the premises offered spaces for $15. A number of visitors took offense and considered the chief’s suggestion of celebrating elsewhere, for example, as disrespectful. It is understandable that these things taken together, at the very least, might have taken some of the festivity out of the festival. Additionally, there was an incident in which two brothers from Reseda were charged in an attack on a group of people.

Mynoo Sharifan, a local Iranian leader, has wisely suggested emphasis on the theme of renewal. The mayor urges a cooperative spirit to make the celebration a better one. All parties should work together to restore harmony.