Tybee Island, Ga.
As the annual spring bash at Georgia's largest public beach approaches, thousands of Black college students are expected to descend upon Tybee Island. However, this year they will be met with a heightened police presence and barricades closing off neighborhood streets. Access to nearby parking will also be blocked off, while the beach itself will remain open.
Orange Crush, the April beach party that originated over 30 years ago by students at Savannah State University, has been a source of contention for residents of Tybee Island. Complaints of loud music, trash on the sand, and partygoers relieving themselves in yards have been common.
Mayor Brian West, who was elected last fall by the island's 3,100 residents, is determined to put an end to Orange Crush once and for all. The increased police presence and roadblocks are not just about crowd control; they are part of a larger effort to drive the event away from Tybee Island.
"This has to stop. We can't have this crowd anymore," Mayor West stated. "My goal is to end it."
Last year, city officials called the unpermitted beach bash too chaotic and said it caused traffic wrecks and gridlock across Tybee, according to CBS Savannah affiliate WTOC-TV
Racism a factor?
Critics say local officials are overreacting and appear to be singling out Black visitors to a Southern beach that only White people could use until 1963. They note that Tybee Island attracts vast crowds for the Fourth of July and other summer weekends when visitors are largely White, as are 92% of the island's residents.
"Our weekends are packed with people all season, but when Orange Crush comes they shut down the parking, bring extra police and act like they have to take charge," said Julia Pearce, one of the island's few Black residents and leader of a group called the Tybee MLK Human Rights Organization. She added: "They believe Black folks to be criminals."
During the week, workers placed metal barricades to block off parking meters and residential streets along the main road parallel to the beach. Two large parking lots near a popular pier are being closed. And Tybee Island's roughly two dozen police officers will be augmented by about 100 sheriff's deputies, Georgia state troopers and other officers.
Security plans were influenced by tactics used last month to reduce crowds and violence at spring break in Miami Beach, which was observed by Tybee Island's police chief.
Government Officials Defend Recent Actions
Government officials are standing by their recent decisions, stating that they are taking action to prevent a recurrence of last year's Orange Crush event. They argue that the party escalated into a public safety emergency, with crowds reaching double their usual size.
"For me, this is not about race," stated West, who believes that previous city administrations hesitated to address Orange Crush more firmly due to fears of being labeled as racist. "We cannot allow concerns about race to jeopardize the safety of our citizens, so we are taking action."
Amidst the chaos on a congested highway near the island, a shooting incident occurred where a White man shot into a car, injuring one individual. Officials attributed the incident to road rage.
Both supporters and critics of Orange Crush agree that the main issues are not caused by college students.
Joshua Miller, a 22-year-old senior at Savannah State University who plans to participate in this weekend's event, expressed his belief that the recent crackdown may have racial undertones.
"I don't know what they have in store," Miller said. "I'm not going down there with any ill intent. I'm just going out there to have fun."
Ironic twist
At Nickie's 1971 Bar & Grill near the beach, general manager Sean Ensign said many neighboring shops and eateries will close for Orange Crush though his will stay open, selling to-go food orders like last year. But with nearby parking spaces closed, Ensign said his profits might take a hit, "possibly a few thousand dollars."
It's not the first time Tybee Island has targeted the Black beach party. In 2017, the City Council banned alcohol and amplified music on the beach only during Orange Crush weekend. A discrimination complaint to the U.S. Justice Department resulted in city officials signing a non-binding agreement to impose uniform rules for large events.
West says Orange Crush is different because it's promoted on social media by people who haven't obtained permits. A new state law lets local governments recoup public safety expenses from organizers of unpermitted events.
During February, Britain Wigfall faced a setback when his application for a permit for food trucks on the island during Orange Crush was denied. Despite this, the mayor noted that Wigfall has been actively promoting events on the island.
Wigfall, aged 30, clarified that while he is indeed organizing a concert in Savannah this weekend, he is not involved in any activities on Tybee Island related to Orange Crush.
"I have no control over it," Wigfall stated. "No one can dictate when people choose to visit the area."
