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Huntington Beach Police Post Surf City Rioters' Photos On Facebook
Suspect 21a (Huntington Beach Police)
The Huntington Beach Police said they're still looking for suspects accused of rioting after the finish of the U.S. Open of Surfing at the end of last month.
They've posted photos of 25 suspects on their Facebook page and asked for the public's help finding the men (and they're all men) accused of breaking windows, stealing a bike, tipping over porta potties, vandalizing a cop car, fighting and throwing just about everything that wasn't nailed to the ground (and even some things that were). Police wrote:
The Huntington Beach Police Department is currently working numerous criminal investigations of individuals we have identified from the July 28th major disturbance. In addition, this photo album contains images of adults who are still not identified, but we suspect of criminal activity. We are seeking the public’s ongoing assistance. We are requesting the public not name individuals they possibly recognize in the form of a comment to the picture (in case it is not accurate).
There's a lot of trash-talking the suspects in the comments on the photos, but commenters seemed to mostly refrain from identifying the suspects (or, more likely, the police have been vigilant about moderating the page). Asking people not to identify them online might be a good move: Amateur sleuths on social media trying to figure out who had smashed a shop window with a stop sign in this case already nailed the wrong guy—and the fallout was even worse from the Boston Marathon bombing case.No one is really defending these rioting suspects, but it's interesting to note how the language that gets used to describe these mostly white suspects is different from the language that got used to describe the rioting that happened on Hollywood Boulevard by mostly black suspects a few weeks back. The Huntington Beach beach rioters are being called "bros," "punks," "rednecks" and "909ers." Most of it isn't flattering language by any stretch, but mostly black teens on Hollywood Boulevard were called "mobs" and "hordes," and police accused them of "wilding."
When this rioting broke out in Surf City (that has a long history of rioting), some used it as an opportunity to mock the hand-wringing among national commentariat that goes on in the wake of similar events committed by blacks.
Related:
Photos, Video: Riots Break Out In Huntington Beach After U.S. Open Of Surfing
Firefighter Arrested In Huntington Beach Riots
Photo Of Man Who Smashed Store Window During Huntington Beach Riots Goes Viral
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