A planned beach party was canceled, but Long Beach files suit

Long Beach city officials gave an update last week on legal action they initiated after the planning of an unauthorized gathering of more than 500 people on the beach three weeks ago that, as it turned out, never took place. Council President Brendan Finn, City Manager Daniel Creighton and Acting Police Commissioner Richard DePalma spoke at a news conference outside City Hall on July 3.

“If you come to our city to cause chaos, and if you attempt to come to our city to cause chaos, we want you to hear a message loud and clear: Long Beach won’t stand for it,” Finn said. “We will shut you down, just as we did on June 19. And it will cost you.”

Finn explained that the city had filed a claim in State Supreme Court against the organizers of the unpermitted event, which cost the city roughly $24,000 to prepare for, including staffing costs and overtime pay for police that day.

On June 19 at around 8:30 a.m., Long Beach police got word of the gathering, Sandy Cheeks Beach Day, which was circling on social media. To prevent the gathering of another crowd, and a potentially explosive situation like the one that had unfolded just six days earlier, which resulted in a shooting at the Long Island Rail Road station, city officials coordinated with Nassau County, Metropolitan Transportation Authority and State Police to prepare. Just over 500 people had RSVP’d online.

Long Beach CSEA members also helped with ticket collection on the beach that day, augmenting a boardwalk crew of ticket-takers that is composed mostly of teenagers.

Sandy Cheeks Beach Day had been promoted on social media by an account called Team Takeover. Attendees were encouraged to bring alcohol and other substances to Long Beach. The party was planned from 1 to 11 p.m.

That morning, Long Beach Police detectives located the organizers, Carl Roberts, of Inwood, and Giovanni Neal, of Queens, showed up at their doorsteps and informed them that what they were doing was against the law and that they would be held accountable.

Just after 1 p.m., the organizers posted online that the party was canceled in Long Beach and had been moved to Jones Beach. Nonetheless, the city remained on alert until around 9 p.m.

While no one showed up for the event, the city alleges that the organizers violated Chapter 14 of the city’s code of ordinances, which prohibits organized gatherings of more than 100 people at Ocean Beach Park without a special events permit.

“The city has filed legal action against the organizers, holding them personally and financially liable for all costs incurred by the city as a result of their actions,” Creighton explained. “It was their negligence that resulted in the city having to incur these costs, and we intend to have them pay. We intend to pursue this suit to its conclusion, and are confident we will prevail. Long Beach is a beautiful and peaceful community that is meant to be enjoyed by the residents and its visitors. It is not a place for lawlessness and disrespect.”

“Today, this administration is delivering on a promise to our community: we are going to take care of our residents,” Finn said. “Our residents shouldn’t pay the price for individuals or entities who advertise, promote or attempt to create unauthorized, unpermitted gatherings in our city.”

In the aftermath of the unauthorized gathering on June 13, in which a 16-year-old was shot in the abdomen, and another potentially combustible situation, the Police Department has instituted extra patrols to the boardwalk, with two officers stationed there every night. Police and city officials will continue to monitor social media and work with the Nassau County Police Department and state agencies to remain aware of any similar plans. Creighton added that the city was still looking into identifying the organizers of the June 13 event.

“We are thankful to our police, the Civil Service Employees Association, the city workers and the first responders for going above and beyond that day, as they always do for our residents,” Finn said, referring to the city’s actions on June 19. “We put all hands on deck that day to keep the city safe and orderly. And now we’re determined to recoup our costs so that the residents don’t bear the burden of the irresponsible actions of a few. We will take these steps over and over again, any time and every time our peaceful way of life here in Long Beach is threatened with disruption.”