It was inevitable that TikTok’s algorithm would cause a nation of unbearably horny teens on the cusp of hot vaxx summer to incite anarchy. On Saturday, a crowd of roughly 2,500 people inspired by a viral TikTok video descended on Huntington Beach, California, marching in the streets and vandalising property, generally popping off, causing city cops to roll up — in other words, a truly sick party.
The gathering, prompted by a viral video advertising “Adrian’s Birthday Kickback” reportedly attracted visitors from Northern California and out of state. 149 arrests were made, including 29 juveniles.
The Huntington police department confirmed to Gizmodo that they’d previously become aware of said kickback through Adrian’s video, which had reportedly attracted over 234 million views. The hashtag #adrianskickback currently has 271.7 million views.
Over the phone, public information officer Jennifer Carey said that gatherers swarmed the kickback location, a lifeguard tower (TikTok here), around 6:30. By 7:13, Carey said, the tower roof began to collapse under the weight of dancing teens (TikTok here), and the police declared an unlawful assembly. They instated an emergency curfew for 11:30 pm.
“It escalated very quickly,” Carey said. “It was kind of amazing to see. It was just floods of people coming in. The crowd size grew exponentially.” (TikTok here.)
Still determined to cement the night in human history as legend, TikTokers began throwing rocks, bottles, and fireworks, leaving the tower damaged and police cars graffitied, windows smashed.
Numerous videos evidence what appear to be hundreds of screaming TikTokers charging through the streets, hands up, phones out, mocking police officers by performing the worm. Some shouted for Adrian, who has evidently deleted the video. God knows what the teens have in store for the months ahead.