A few months back I made a case against the city of St. Paul's use of a legal sleight of hand to keep alleged gang members from attending the annual Cinco de Mayo celebration. Last weekend, they used the same tools to keep gangs from congregating, flashing signs or wearing colors at the Rondo Days festivities.

At the time, I argued in favor of the right to free speech and free assembly and all those bothersome legalities.

I've changed my mind.

In the case of the alleged Latin gang members, none had been convicted of a serious crime. But the cops knew they were unsavory and dangerous, and that was enough.

So, using a trick that allows a judge to consider a group of people a public nuisance, St. Paul banned a dozen or so people from festivals together. These are individuals that St. Paul Police Chief John Harrington has called "particularly problematic."

Because it was a civil matter, the city needed to provide only a preponderance of evidence, as opposed to the proof beyond a reasonable doubt required in criminal matters.

And guess what? It worked.

Both Cinco de Mayo and Rondo Days went off without a hitch.

Which is why I'm willing to change my mind and ignore the civil rights of a few individuals -- even if we're not sure they have committed any crime -- to secure the rights and safety of others.

In fact, I'm imploring Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak to copy the courageous lead of St. Paul and act before it's too late.

It is well known that a group of men, arrogantly flashing their colors, have acted with recklessness and impunity across the Twin Cities.

They have broken into houses and taken money, sometimes in broad daylight. They have taken expensive, imported automobiles and brazenly made them their own. One member even tried to convince cops to "get" a member of a rival group.

When caught, they destroyed evidence. And now comes news that these men may threaten the outcome of a dozen or more criminal cases now in the courts.

How do we know? Because some of the highest-ranking members of our law enforcement community have said so.

That's why it's essential that Rybak act immediately and ban former members of the Gang Strike Force from Aquatennial events, starting with today's metal sculpture contest.

Because it would be hard to find a group that better fit the definition of "nuisance" than the Strike Force. You want a preponderance of evidence? You want particularly problematic?

How about accusations by public officials that $18,000 in seized money was missing, and a dozen or so vehicles could not be accounted for? One car that could be found, a Mercedes, was being driven by the former Strike Force leader. Hours after the auditor released a report about the missing money, officers were seen shredding documents. The FBI is reportedly investigating.

But let's not let something as nettlesome as due process slow us down. Here's what we do: We set up a perimeter around the events and parade route, and call it a "safe zone." We position officers -- upstanding cops whose reputations are getting hit because of a few rogues -- and station them at key points.

Strike Force member identities are supposed to be secret, but as reporter Randy Furst found out, many of them can be found on the Internet, including at Classmates.com. We get their pictures and keep an eye peeled.

No former Strike Force member should get within 500 yards of a clown. No autographs with the celebrity grand marshal. No ogling the queen of the lakes.

Most important, if you are a former member of the Strike Force: No Skipper Pins!

It's not too late, Mayor Rybak, to keep the Aquatennial safe for all. We must act now. We must be vigilant.

jtevlin@startribune.com • 612-673-1702