Huntington Beach : Patrols, Arrests Rose at Surfing Competition

An increase in patrols at the sixth Annual Op Pro Surfing Championship, which ended Saturday, brought more arrests than last year, but the large crowds were generally “pretty calm,” police said.

Police made 100 arrests during the six-day event, compared to 35 last year when the popular competition was held on Labor Day weekend and a riot broke out on the closing day, leaving 40 people injured.

Police Lt. Chuck Poe said there were a few incidents this year when additional officers were called to control unruly crowds, but “most of the people were pretty calm.”

The largest uproar occurred Saturday when 40 extra officers were brought on to the beach for three hours to break up fights and disperse crowds, Poe said. That day’s surfing finals drew the largest crowd, about 50,000 on a three-mile stretch of sand near the Huntington Beach Pier, Poe said.

No property damage was reported this year, unlike last year’s $200,000 total that included five police cars set on fire.