More than 400 people were arrested in Newport Beach, California, over the Fourth of July weekend after an alleged 'TikTok takeover' sparked chaos, including fires, blocked roads, and projectiles thrown at police.
Mayhem on Balboa Peninsula
Thousands of people gathered on Balboa Peninsula on Saturday night, many drawn by an online flash-mob-style meetup, according to a city statement. The area was already crowded with tens of thousands of Fourth of July revelers, but as night fell, officials said, a large crowd obstructed traffic, set fires, and hurled explosives at law enforcement officers.
“Social media posts drew a large influx of juveniles and young adults to the Newport Pier area within a short period of time,” the city of Newport Beach said in a statement. “As the crowd rapidly grew, individuals engaged in increasingly dangerous and unlawful behavior, blocking roadways, restricting emergency vehicle access and throwing explosive mortars, fireworks and other projectiles at police officers, into densely packed crowds and near families with children.”
Arrests and injuries
The police made 402 arrests over the weekend, a significant increase from 60 arrests during the same period last year. The Newport Beach Fire Department responded to 102 emergency incidents on Saturday, including 10 fires, and transported 44 patients to local hospitals, six of whom were trauma patients.
“As our nation celebrated its semi-quincentennial with families and neighbors gathering peacefully, joyfully, and safely ... a large group of agitators invaded Newport Beach, spurred on by an alleged ‘TikTok Takeover’,” said Joe DeJulio, president of the Newport Beach Police Association, in a Facebook statement.
Police response
The city said the police response was part of “months of planning and preparation,” deploying 17 regional law enforcement agencies and more than 350 officers from the Newport Beach Police Department during Saturday’s mayhem. Viral videos show police officers mounted on horses to control the crowd on the beach.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the majority of those arrested were not Newport Beach residents. Logs showed arrestees came from Arizona, Nevada, or other parts of California, with ages ranging from 15 to 25, according to NBC LA.
Official condemnation
“Saturday’s examples of disrespect and destruction in our city were scary, saddening and totally unacceptable,” said Newport Beach Mayor Lauren Kleiman. “This was an attack on our community and we will do whatever it takes to ensure it never happens again.”
The “takeover” began around 8 p.m., with police requesting backup at about 8:25 p.m., according to the Times.
Rising trend of teen takeovers
“Takeovers” or mass gatherings organized online appear to be gaining traction, with authorities warning of violence. Over the weekend, a 19-year-old man was fatally shot during a “teen takeover” in Pensacola, Florida. In Chicago, seven people were injured in two shootings following a “teen takeover.”
In May, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro announced increased enforcement of laws addressing parental responsibility when minors engage in criminal conduct. “Teen takeovers have disrupted neighborhoods, forced businesses to close temporarily, and diverted valuable law enforcement resources from the residents of the District,” Pirro said. “Law abiding taxpayers should not subsidize chaos caused by parental neglect. Parents do your job, or we will do ours.”
