Fireworks, fights and cops on horses: 400 arrested at Fourth of July celebration in Newport Beach
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Set us as preferred A Fourth of July celebration erupted into chaos in Newport Beach, leading to over 400 arrests by local law enforcement.Officers were dispatched to the Newport Peninsula about 7 p.m.Saturday following reports that large crowds were lighting fireworks and fighting, per City News Service.Digital footage obtained by The Times showed large aerial fireworks lighted at close range, while another video showed fireworks being thrown by an unknown individual into the crowd.
In another clip obtained by The Times, one individual with a Spider-Man mask was seen climbing a traffic light before leading the crowd in a chant: “USA, USA, USA.”Other videos uploaded to social media showed individuals carrying broken street signs and looting at the nearby Pavilions grocery store on West Balboa Boulevard.Mia Meyers, 19, was closing up shop at Sancho’s Tacos, which is located near Pavilions, around 5 p.m.when she witnessed swarms of people pounding on the business’ windows.
“ There was just a lot of chaos with underage drinking and yelling at the workers, including myself,” Meyers said.By Sunday, local volunteers had taken to the beach to help clean up the remnants of the night before.“I only saw that one video of the [Pavilions] parking lot.
Thankfully, all of the locals around here helped pick up,” Meyers said.“All of the people that live around here like to keep Newport [Beach] a clean and beautiful environment, so they all worked together to help pick it up.
When I came here this morning to work, I didn’t see any of it.”The city launched its “Not in Newport” campaign across social media this summer to remind visitors that officials would have zero tolerance for public intoxication, illegal fireworks and other rowdy behavior.Fines for such infractions in West Newport Beach and the Peninsula ...