A weekend mini-bike gathering that took place on the Sixth Street Bridge in Los Angeles quickly transformed into a police operation, as LAPD officers stopped dozens of teenage riders and impounded almost 80 motorized pocket bikes, dirt bikes, and e-bikes during the incident. Strangely, parents were angry at police for having intervened and arresting those involved, apparently seeing nothing wrong with the havoc that occurred during the event.
Police officers who responded to the scene revealed that over 70 people, ranging in age from 13 to 50, were placed in handcuffs, issued citations, and then released at the scene. Sergeant Robert Leary of the LAPD and a member of the Central Traffic Division’s Street Racing Task Force, stated that they were aware of the planned minibike takeover and cooked up a plan to contain the group once the riders reached the bridge.
“Once we got them on the bridge, we had a plan. We were going to block them off,” Leary said. “The only way to get these minibikes, the e-bikes into custody, is to corner them off into a position where they can’t escape.” Police then described the gathering as an illegal street takeover. Over the course of the summer, several similar events known as “teen takeovers” have occurred across the U.S. with similar results.
According to a report from FOX LA, Leary stated that almost half of the individuals who received citations were juveniles, with the other half being adults. Everyone received a misdemeanor arrest citation and was released at the scene. Arts District Business Improvement District Executive Director Miguel Vargas spoke with the outlet.
Vargas stated that he has no problem with folks enjoying the area, but that enjoyment cannot come at the expense of nearby residents and businesses. “I’m all for coming out and having a good time, but not at the detriment of everyone else who lives here,” Vargas told the network. Vargas, along with other neighborhood leaders, said the Sixth Street Bridge area has also had complaints about drug use, copper wire theft, and several broken lights.
Adam Turner, president of the Arts District and Little Tokyo Neighborhood Council said that residents are worried about the $82 million park that is currently being constructed beneath the bridge. The park has yet to open, but Turner said lights along an interior walkway have already been taken down due to being covered in graffiti.
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A parent was caught on video stating he was recording the incident because what the police were doing to the kids was illegal. The clip has gone viral on social media, perfectly showcasing how some parents of kids involved in these takeovers are enabling the dangerous behavior of their teenagers. Parents of kids who have been involved in takeovers have been warned by police to ensure their children are not participating in these events or else they, too, might face legal consequences.
“Brain-dead parents raising more brain-dead little savages,” one user wrote in a reply to the video. “They really wouldn’t like how I think these things should be handled…” another user said in response to the parent’s comments. “LA is full of stupid a** people like this and they vote,” another user on the platform pointed out.
Featured Image: screenshot from embedded video