A Fourth of July celebration in Newport Beach, California, turned chaotic when fights broke out and fireworks were thrown at police officers. The officers, who were called to the scene around 7 p.m. on Saturday, charged into the crowd on horseback in an attempt to break up the unruly group. At least 100 people were taken into custody, as officials told KABC. The incident occurred in a coastal city about 45 miles south of Los Angeles, where a rowdy group of people had begun setting off fireworks and fighting on the beach and on nearby streets. Videos shared on social media showed the officers on horseback charging on the beach to disperse the crowd. The disorder didn’t stop when authorities arrived, and some of the partiers began throwing fireworks at police officers, resulting in several officers being injured.
Fortunately, the injured officers are expected to recover. The disruptive behavior took place outside a Pavilions grocery store, which was allegedly looted during the chaos. Aerial images showed large crowds still gathered just after 10 p.m., with at least one person being loaded into an ambulance.
A police skirmish line was formed, and attendees were instructed to return home. The incident remains under investigation, and the cause of the conflict is still unclear. The Newport Beach Police Department has not shared a final arrest count or the number of injuries sustained during the incident.
