A trailer displaying explicit advertisements for sex on demand has generated significant outrage in a North Long Beach neighborhood, but city officials are encountering legal challenges in their efforts to remove the offending display. The pink-and-white, two-wheel trailer, which promotes the "Pinkys Girls" website offering adult entertainment and hookups, has been observed moving through various locations in North Long Beach for months, prompting numerous complaints from concerned residents.
Residents have expressed alarm that the advertisements are appearing in an area already grappling with issues of prostitution and human trafficking. Additionally, many are worried about children being exposed to the explicit messaging. The trailer's current location is at the intersection of Cherry Avenue and Del Amo Boulevard, where it has reportedly been parked since at least Thursday.
City officials are facing legal hurdles stemming from a previous case in 2018. In that instance, the city attorney's office ordered a company to remove advertising trailers, but the company sued, arguing its First Amendment rights were violated. A judge ruled in favor of the company, stating that the city had improperly restricted advertising based on its content and had failed to meet the legal standard of "strict scrutiny." The court ordered the city to pay nearly $300,000 in damages, establishing a precedent that complicates current enforcement efforts.
Councilmember Tunua Thrash-Ntuk, representing the district where the trailer is currently parked, acknowledged that city officials and the Long Beach Police Department are aware of the situation and the individual responsible for moving the trailer. She noted that the trailer had previously been located in a neighboring district along Long Beach Boulevard, an area known for human trafficking.
While parking enforcement has attempted to tow the trailer, the city's ordinance permits vehicles to remain in one location for up to 72 hours, allowing the trailer to be moved and then return. Thrash-Ntuk described this as a "whack-a-mole" scenario that does not provide a permanent solution.
Thrash-Ntuk is collaborating with the police department and the city attorney's office to explore long-term solutions. These potential measures include requiring the trailer's operator to obtain a business license for advertising on public streets and establishing buffer zones to restrict advertisements for adult content, cigarettes, and alcohol near schools and daycare centers.
The Long Beach Police Department stated that they "have and will continue to take enforcement action when appropriate," but did not provide specific details on potential measures. In the interim, Thrash-Ntuk is encouraging residents to continue reporting the trailer's presence to the police and via the GO Long Beach app to document the ongoing issue.