A Georgia beach aims to disrupt Black students' spring bash after big crowds brought chaos in 2023

AP ^ | Apr 18, 2024 | RUSS BYNUM

[where's_the_Outrage?]

TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (AP) — Thousands of Black college students expected this weekend for an annual spring bash at Georgia’s largest public beach will be greeted by dozens of extra police officers and barricades closing off neighborhood streets. While the beach will remain open, officials are blocking access to nearby parking.

Tybee Island east of Savannah has grappled with the April beach party known as Orange Crush since students at Savannah State University, a historically Black school, started it more than 30 years ago. Residents regularly groused about loud music, trash littering the sand and revelers urinating in yards.

Those complaints boiled over into fear and outrage a year ago when record crowds estimated at more than 100,000 people overwhelmed the 3-mile (4.8 kilometer) island. That left a small police force scrambling to handle a flood of emergency calls reporting gunfire, drug overdoses, traffic jams and fist fights.......

“Our weekends are packed with people all season, but when Orange Crush comes they shut down the parking, bring extra police and act like they have to take charge,” said Julia Pearce, one of the island’s few Black residents and leader of a group called the Tybee MLK Human Rights Organization. She added: “They believe Black folks to be criminals.”

During the week, workers placed metal barricades to block off parking meters and residential streets along the main road parallel to the beach. Two large parking lots near a popular pier are being closed. And Tybee Island’s roughly two dozen police officers will be augmented by about 100 sheriff’s deputies, Georgia state troopers and other officers.

[2nd Amendment]

At least I don’t have to ask Yogi who they are

[Thomas Jerome]

I used to live in Va Beach. They came and tore the place up. Got kicked out of Va Beach and went to Myrtle beach and did the same thing. I guess they have moved to Ga now.

[EandH Dad]

“dozens of extra police officers”

Hope they have more on standby.

[RoosterRedux]

All human behavior changes in mobs because humans are herd animals and get swept along with the crowd (abdicating individual responsibility to the group). On top of this, group behavior tends to be dominated by the lowest common (behavioral) denominator.

[SharpRightTurn]

“loud music, trash littering the sand and revelers urinating in yards. ... gunfire, drug overdoses, traffic jams and fist fights.......”

Sounds like a lovely crowd.

[tflabo]

These days the less peeps the better.

[bk1000]

I remember “Freaknick” in Atlanta.
I feel sorry for the folks in Tybee.

[dowcaet]

Any large gathering of young people brings with it a large presence of security personnel and police. Young people filled with booze and drugs and having fun are gonna cause mayhem. It doesn’t matter what their race is!

[dynachrome]

Weekend at Humper Bidens’

[bk1000]

“What is amazing is that there are no mature authority figures from the black community speaking out against the misbehavior of young black students at such gatherings.”

That voice of reason would immediately be branded an Uncle Tom who was ‘acting white’.

[2nd Amendment]

In related news rival Amish gangs clash in rural Pennsylvania. Reports of buggyjacking, zucchini attacks, and horse racing

[bassmaner]

Please stop capitalizing ‘black’ in this context.

[Stonewall1]

Same with Freaknik in Atlanta in the 1980-90’s. City leaders increased police protection until it was stopped. “We cannot support events that bring lewd activities, sexual assaults, violence against women and public safety concerns—firetrucks not being able to reach victims, and ambulances not being able to reach hospitals in a timely manner,” said committee chairman George Hawthorne, Atlanta Committee for Black College Spring Break

[RoosterRedux]

Very true. But those mature voices will have to withstand that criticism and have the courage to keep talking if their "race" is to be rescued.

At the moment, things don't look so good for it.

[Flavious_Maximus]

Whenever you bring Pygmy cannibals to a beach it turns into a jungle, along with the boiling cauldrons and voodoo dancers preparing to feast on human flesh.

It’s what they do, said the scorpion to the frog.

[trebb]

A few years ago, they went wild on the MS Gulf Coast - having sex on car hoods in gas station parking lots and running wild. We clamped down for a couple years and it toned down a bit, but not enough. This year, only one city allowed them and they closed off a huge gathering spot - it was almost a sif they weren’t here - maybe next year, they won’t be here😎

[nitzy]

It’s almost as if they have been judged “by the content of their character” this whole time.

[AFret.]

Booby-trap the beach with landmines and bear traps. Should make it interesting.

---

Or set up a Job Fair on the beach...That will certainly keep them away.

[JesusIsLord]

Does the mayor or government leader(s) of a city/town/boro have authority (pass ordinances) to preempt chaos by vetting those entering their town, e.g., at certain times of the year, require proof that visitors own property in the town or have hotel/motel reservations? If a person(s) doesn't own property or have a hotel/motel reservation let them know that if they return they will be fined and arrested.

What comes to mind is a gated HOA community, which can allow or refuse anyone wanting to enter their community based on HOA rules. Shouldn't a town have the same authority?

[Jay1]

Anytime and I mean anytime you get a large group of black young people
together there is trouble period..
It never ends good, why don’t they go to LA, NY city or better yet Chicago or Baltimore where they’re black mayors and gang buddies can make them feel right at home.