Seattle neighborhood reacts to large 'TikTok' party and police response at Alki Beach
SEATTLE - Hundreds of teens and young adults gathered at Alki Beach Park on Saturday night for an alleged TikTok party.
People who attended the gathering said it was in response to last week’s viral TikTok party in Huntington Beach, California that ended in 150 arrests, according to police in Southern California.
Seattle Police said there were three arrests after multiple fights and assaults broke out on Saturday night. There was a strong-arm robbery and a gun that was taken from an intoxicated man, according to SPD.
Police had no choice but to shut down Alki Beach Park early that night.
"We were all confused, the neighbors were talking and we were like what’s going on," said Megan McCormick, who lives across the street from Alki Beach. "More and more people started coming out and got pretty rambunctious. Some boxing fights broke out, so that was dramatic. It was pretty crazy, there were police boats out on the water patrolling back-and-forth."
"I got a heads up from my 14-year-old niece like three weeks ago who lives in Southern Oregon, and I’m like ‘oh something TikTok,’" said Drew Locke, owner of West Seattle Brewing Company. "We’re just coming out of Covid and no one knows what to expect or what any of that is related to. People finally getting out and being a little overzealous at first, or if it’s something else."
Seattle Police had a large police presence the night of the unusually large gathering, and on Sunday where police set up a mobile precinct just a couple miles from the beach.
SPD said it was aware of social media posts about a large gathering at Alki Beach for Saturday night and staffed accordingly. The department said it also took into consideration similar events in other cities.
Both police and neighbors said the large crowd left the area by 11 p.m. on Saturday.
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