The Crowd Effect at the US Open
Kelly Slater
Keeping It Classy in Huntington Beach
Zach Weisberg
HB Riots: Never Again
Brett SimpsonThe riots, violence, and crime at the 2013 US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach made a monumental imprint on the general public’s impression of surfing, Southern California, and action sports. Fair or not, the event’s history and massive reach has caused the US Open of Surfing to have import on a much larger scale than any other event in surfing. While the OP Pro Riots yielded similar carnage in Huntington in 1986, yesterday’s events will reveal a legacy of their own.
According to the LA Times, eight people were arrested, multiple officers were injured, and police tear gas and nonlethal rounds were fired into the unruly crowd by police outfitted in riot gear on Sunday night. The Huntington Beach community and authorities are still recovering from the chaos, and have issued the following statement.
We asked eleven-time World Champion Kelly Slater, two-time US Open Champion (and Huntington native) Brett Simpson, and The Inertia’s Zach Weisberg to share their thoughts on the Huntington Beach riots. Here is what they had to say, and we welcome you to share your opinion.
The crowd at the 2013 US Open of Surfing.
