Former Newport Beach Mayor Mike Henn says the city's July 4 preparations fell short and its own social media campaign may have made things worse.

In a guest column published Monday, July 27, in Stu News Newport, Henn argued that the "Not in Newport" messaging "certainly did little to discourage thousands of kids, many from far outside Newport, from descending on our city and may actually have been co-opted by some social influencers as a call to action."

Henn, who represented District 1 and served as mayor in 2010–11, called on the city to hire outside public safety consultants rather than rely solely on its internal after-action review. He wrote that other jurisdictions have successfully prevented mass teen-takeover events and that Newport Beach needs to learn how.

"National safety leadership requires national input. We certainly can afford it," Henn wrote.

Warning signs were foreseeable, Henn argues

Henn said the conditions for a chaotic July 4 were predictable: the holiday falling on a Saturday, the nation's 250th anniversary celebrations, World Cup excitement, the documented rise of TikTok-organized takeovers, and what he called "the very rowdy 2025 Fourth." He wrote that his grandchildren were seeing TikTok influencers promoting the Balboa Peninsula as a party destination as much as two weeks before Saturday, July 4.

He also criticized the Tuesday, July 14 City Council study session, saying the staff report did not make clear what additional preparations could or should have been made.

City Manager Seimone Jurjis raised the same concern weeks earlier. On July 6, he told the Orange County Register: "Is it the taunting of 'Not in Newport'?" He said the city was doing "mental gymnastics" to figure out what was spurring the influx.

The numbers behind the chaos

Police made 439 arrests over the July 4 weekend, up from 76 the prior year, according to data presented at the July 14 study session. More than 420,000 people visited Newport Beach that weekend, with roughly 160,000 on Saturday, July 4 alone. About 96% to 98% of those arrested came from outside the city, according to Voice of OC, with more than 70% between 18 and 25 years old and another 20% between 13 and 17.

The Newport Beach Fire Department responded to 196 incidents from Friday, July 3 through Sunday, July 5, including 143 medical calls. Lifeguards made 260 rescues. On July 4 alone, paramedics transported 44 patients to hospitals, six to trauma centers.

Council moves forward, but not on outside review

On Tuesday, July 28, the City Council voted to move forward with drafting four ordinances: a youth curfew, an expanded public nuisance definition, social media gathering restrictions, and a parental accountability measure, according to Patch.

None of those actions addressed Henn's call for external expertise.

The threat of repeat incidents remains active. On Saturday, July 25, the Newport Beach Police Department warned of a new planned takeover event being promoted on social media and deployed additional officers. The department said minors involved could face serious juvenile consequences and that parents may be held financially responsible.

Residents can report suspicious activity or planned gatherings to the Newport Beach Police Department's non-emergency line at 949-644-3717.