A wave of warm weather hit New Jersey this past weekend, prompting TikTok users in the Garden State to gather in a massive crowd at the shore-side town of Long Branch. The TikTok event titled the “Beach Linkup” resulted in 16 arrests and a 9 PM curfew implemented by the town’s governing bodies. In the days following the incident, the township of Long Branch is still recovering from the ensuing riots.
TikTok is often the cultural source for new internet trends, gaming content, and in this instance, massive gatherings. As a social media platform where almost anyone can rapidly go viral, TikTok is frequently used as a highly efficient mode of advertising for brands and event organizers seeking a quick way to spread news and gauge interest in their ongoing endeavors. This weekend’s chaotic “pop-up party” in New Jersey is among a handful of unauthorized events drawing crowds in the thousands originating from viral posts on TikTok.
May 21’s “Beach Linkup” was advertised as an event for music, fun, YouTubers, and “Good Vibez,” with one Instagram post receiving two thousand shares in one hour. Beachgoing New Jersey residents taking advantage of the warm weekend flooded Long Branch along with party-ready TikTok users. Long Branch’s resulting crowd had numbers reaching almost five thousand in attendance. The aforementioned “Good Vibez” quickly deteriorated, leading to small-scale violence and vandalizing of police vehicles as authorities attempted to control the situation. As the dust settled in Long Branch, 16 people were arrested, including eleven adults and five underage attendants.
In the interest of public safety, Long Branch police issued a 9 PM curfew which was lifted at 5 AM on the following day. Users of TikTok can find additional footage of the event with a simple search of “Beach Party” or “Long Branch” however, many party videos have since been deleted. Videos of the New Jersey beach party depict TikTokers enjoying themselves within the mass gathering during the day, while footage at night shows many in attendance fleeing from the police or causing mayhem.
This weekend's TikTok Beach Linkup has been a source of pain for the small shore-side community. The town of Long Branch is still recovering from the TikTok “pop-up party” and its consequent destruction. Speaking with reporters at a recent event, New Jersey governor Phil Murphy stated, “...thankfully at the end of the day, we got through it. Now, who didn’t get through it? The small businesses in Pier Village didn’t get through it. They all had to close. That’s something that’s not acceptable. They paid a big price.” While TikTok has been a boon for online content creators and live streamers, its spillage into the real world has had genuine and detrimental effects on those not involved.
Source: NJ.com