§ 25-1. Public places.

(a) Definitions.

(1) Loiter.

"Loiter" means:

(i) to stand around or remain or to park or remain parked in a motor vehicle at a public place or place open to the public and to engage in any conduct prohibited under this law; or

(ii) to collect, gather, congregate, or to be a member of a group or a crowd of people who are gathered together in any public place or place open to the public and to engage in any conduct prohibited under this law.

(2) Place open to the public.

(i) "Place open to the public" means any place open to the public or any place to which the public is invited and in, on, or around any privately owned place of business, private parking lot, or private institution, including places of worship, cemetery, or any place of amusement and entertainment, whether or not a charge of admission or entry thereto is made.

(ii) It includes the elevator, lobby, halls, corridors, and areas open to the public of any store, office, or apartment building.

(3) Public place.

"Public place" means any public street, road, or highway, alley, lane, sidewalk, crosswalk, or other public way, or any public resort, place of amusement, park, playground, public building or grounds appurtenant thereto, public parking lot, or any vacant lot.

(b) Prohibited loitering.

(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to loiter at, on, or in a public place or place open to the public in such manner:

(i) to interfere with, impede, or hinder the free passage of pedestrian or vehicular traffic;

(ii) to interfere with, obstruct, harass, curse, or threaten or to do physical harm to another member or members of the public; or

(iii) that by words, acts, or other conduct, it is clear that there is a reasonable likelihood a breach of the peace or disorderly conduct shall result.

(2) It shall be unlawful for any person to loiter at a public place or place open to the public and to fail to obey the direction of a uniformed police officer or the direction of a properly identified police officer not in uniform to move on, when not to obey such direction shall endanger the public peace.

(c) Scope.

(1) No person shall be charged with a violation of this section unless and until the arresting officer has first warned the person of the violation and the person has failed or refused to stop the violation.

(2) Nothing herein shall be construed to prohibit orderly picketing or other lawful assembly.

(d) Penalties.

Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be subject to a fine of not more than $500 or imprisonment for not more than 10 days, or both fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the court.