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Burbank's Massive 'Fast & Furious'-Like Car Meetup Thwarted By Police
Police made it no secret this week that they would be cracking down on Tuesday's Fast & Furious-like car meetup at a Burbank shopping center. While they successfully shut down the Burbank meetup, another one popped up in the City of Industry the same night.
The event, which in the past has drawn in thousands of car enthusiasts, was scheduled to be held in the Burbank Empire Center parking lot by the Krispy Kreme store around 9 p.m. It was organized by a Facebook group dubbed "Krispy Kreme Tuesdays" (though they have no affiliation to the donut shop). Krispy Kreme Tuesdays didn't have an event permit for the meetup that was meant for car enthusiasts to show off their vehicles.
However, because of the "police overkill," the organizer cancelled the event earlier on Tuesday, NBC Los Angeles reports. Burbank police told CBS Los Angeles that people also took to social media to warn car enthusiasts to stay away from the plaza due to the expected massive police presence. Burbank police closed off the entrances to the Burbank Empire Center parking lot with barricades and gates, CBS Los Angeles reports.
The Burbank Empire Center looked pretty empty on Tuesday:
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Krispy Kreme closes-heavy police patrols, tow trucks-to prevent 'flash mob car show'-Burbank Empire Center @KNX1070 pic.twitter.com/dnOV3wtwXn
— Ron Kilgore (@sailronkil) June 16, 2015
Authorities warned folks earlier this week that they would be keeping an eye out for cars that have illegal engines and car modifications, and were seen tailing cars near the plaza on Tuesday.
#BurbankTakeover looks unlikely. Cops, security everywhere. Here's vid of PD tailing a car that looks modified. pic.twitter.com/TrgsRI51Xx
— Gadi Schwartz (@GadiNBC) June 17, 2015
Car enthusiasts then said online that they would be moving the event to another Krispy Kreme location—this time to the parking lot at the Puente Hills Mall in the City of Industry. However, police were on to their trail and were waiting for them there, too. Folks started showing up around 9 p.m., but by 10:30 p.m., they had all dispersed, according to City News Service.
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Sgt. David Cortinas told City News Service that there were about 1,500 people and 750 cars that were at the City of Industry location. Authorities arrested one man for carrying a concealed knife, and two others for outstanding warrants. Cops handed out 48 citations, many of which were for drivers not having license plates on the front of their cars, according to NBC Los Angeles.
Some took to social media to show the scene in the City of Industry:
Lots of tickets at puente hills mall in industry when car enthusiasts show up after kicked out of Burbank @NU34LA pic.twitter.com/KA89C2tKsA
— Oswaldo Borraez (@oborraez) June 17, 2015
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Hundreds still at car meet up @krispykreme in City of Industry. Will try #Periscope in about 45min. Story at 11. pic.twitter.com/qNNbZCHhYk
— Gadi Schwartz (@GadiNBC) June 17, 2015
Flash mob car buffs saw some pretty sweet rides at Puente Hills Mall @KNX1070 http://t.co/cBWOZQQR46 pic.twitter.com/DVV1ExT9RL
— Ron Kilgore (@sailronkil) June 17, 2015
People attending the event weren't too pleased about the police clamping down on them. "Because we like to come out and congregate and show our cars off, we’re outlaws now or something?" car enthusiast Donald Galaz asked CBS Los Angeles. "That just doesn't sit right with a bunch of us right now."
The last Krispy Kreme Tuesdays meetup was in 2013 at the Burbank Empire Center, and it drew in massive crowds of 3,500 people and 1,100 cars. However, local businesses complained the participants were drunk and unruly, and the large crowd created gridlock on neighboring streets.
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