Huntington Beach says a Newport-style 'takeover' is in the works, and police intend to stop it

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Set us as preferred Huntington Beach police are warning online organizers and promoters attempting an “End of Summer Beach Bash” party or “takeover,” à la Newport Beach’s wild Fourth of July, that they will be prosecuted for any criminality.The department said in a Tuesday afternoon Instagram post that it’s aware of social media posts promoting such an event, though it didn’t provide details such as specific times or locales.The department also did not identify which social media platforms were used.“Similar events elsewhere have resulted in violence, vandalism, assaults, thefts, and other criminal activity,” Huntington Beach police wrote.

“We have no intention of allowing that to happen here.” California Newport Beach’s Balboa Peninsula neighborhood became a scene of chaos Saturday night after hundreds of teens and young adults showed up at the beach unexpectedly.The city is sensitive to such perceived threats after thousands of visitors, including teens and adults, descended upon Newport Beach on Saturday in what police described as a takeover event on the Fourth of July.Newport Beach’s Police Assn.blamed social media for a viral “TikTok takeover,” though in that instance, it’s unknown how many posts were made or how the organizing took place.Police arrested more than 400 people after a melee in which businesses were smashed and looted and fireworks were dispatched in crowds.

California Eyewitness footage shows police charging into beach crowds — which appear to be made up of mostly teens.“We had a large unruly crowd of close to 3,000 people fighting and causing massive disruption from 29th street to 35th street,” Deputy Chief of Police Joshua Vincelet told the Daily Pilot in an email Sunday.Similarly, Newport Beach had warned partygoers to avoid lawbreaking before the takeover.“Cele...