Adrian's Kickback: Huntington Beach Cops Seek Footage, Photos

HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA — A birthday party invitation went viral on TikTok and inspired thousands to descend on Huntington Beach's firepits and surrounding areas over the weekend in a massive party that led to declarations of unlawful assembly.

In an effort to track down troublemakers, police launched a portal requesting the public’s help by providing photos and video to be used as evidence of criminal activity at what has become known as "Adrian's Kickback."

Last week, the hashtag #adrianskickback garnered more than 275 million views. About 2,500 people attended the three-day party. Over TikTok, some said they drove hundreds of miles to attend; others said they flew in for the event. The massive party appeared in multiple videos to overtake downtown, which were shared across social media. The city of Huntington Beach does not want a repeat.

Police declared the three nights of megapartying as three unlawful assemblies. But the actual footprint was "minimal," city spokesperson Jennifer Carey told Patch.

The party led to some property damage and 175 arrests but no injuries, which the city considered a win, Carey said. She thanked unprecedented cross-county joint agency assistance.

Three days later, Huntington Beach officials were still grappling with the power of social media to create such an event while trying to keep the peace in the seaside community.

Officials first realized the birthday party was going viral late last week, Carey said. Police learned that millions had been reached over TikTok and were headed to the beach.

Officials tried to prepare for what would become a huge downtown and beach-area incident. "We knew it was going to be an all-weekend-long event," Carey said. Saturday was "the most significant" day.

About 500 people gathered at the beach on Friday. Some of the partygoers threw fireworks at police officers, she said. When police declared an unlawful assembly, the crowd dispersed without incident.

Saturday was a different story. At 6:30 p.m., around 400 people gathered on the beach near lifeguard tower 13. The crowd ballooned to 2,500 people between the beach and downtown.

"Every police agency in Orange County was here," Carey said.

Police again declared an unlawful assembly, but this time the crowd became "unruly and destructive," Carey said. "They jumped on the police vehicles. A lifeguard tower was damaged as it collapsed from the weight of people on the roof."

People threw rocks, bottles and fireworks at police officers, she said. The crowd became disruptive, and 149 people were ultimately arrested.

Sunday drew a smaller crowd. At 7:30 or 8 p.m., a crowd of just over 100 began throwing fireworks at officers who ordered them to disperse. That night, police arrested 29 more people.

"HBPD is looking for evidence of any and all criminal activity that may have taken place," Carey said.

Officers are reviewing social media as a way to anticipate future such events, especially with Memorial Day weekend coming.

Huntington Beach is all about tourism and welcomes visitors, but it is preparing for an increased beach presence.

"As a Huntington Beach resident and a civilian, I was so impressed with the work they did that there were no significant injuries reported, and the property damage was minimal," Carey said.

Still, for business owners whose wares were damaged by a destructive mob, even minimal is too much.

Some local shops and outdoor vendors had to deal with the cleanup. "We are known for our beach and our downtown area," Carey said. "The city welcomes visitors. We just want people to abide by the laws and respect the city, law enforcement and others who are here."

Residents asked on social media how they can help.

Police are still sifting through photos and videos for clear or partial images of faces, identifiable clothing and accessories, vehicle license plates or descriptions and identifiable locations and approximate times of incidents.

The new evidence portal is easily accessible to all and allows people to submit photos and videos straight from their mobile device. The evidence portal may be accessed at HBPDCA.evidence.com.