Newport Beach police say they arrested 402 people during Fourth of July celebrations, with about half of those arrests coming from a single incident on the Balboa Peninsula Saturday night.
Police released photos capturing the chaos, showing fireworks exploding close to the ground amid a large crowd.
Fourth of July celebrations drew thousands of visitors to Newport Beach throughout the day, and late in the evening, the police department says social media posts pulled a large influx of young people into the Newport Pier area within a short span of time.
Newport Beach police say things quickly spiraled out of control once the large number of juveniles and young adults swarmed the area — fireworks went off, roads became blocked, fights broke out, and people looted a Pavilions grocery store.
Police say some people launched fireworks into crowds and directly at officers, and one officer reportedly took a hit from a mortar.
“Following an unlawful assembly declaration, more than 350 officers from the Newport Beach Police Department and 17 regional law enforcement agencies worked together to clear the area, disperse the crowd, restore emergency access and protect residents and visitors,” the police department wrote in a press release.
During the same period last year — midnight July 3 through 6 a.m. July 5, 2025 — officers in Newport Beach reportedly arrested only 60 people, compared to the 402 arrests this year.
Police say approximately 200 of the people arrested this weekend remained near 28th Street after repeatedly refusing lawful dispersal orders.
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