A resident of Myrtle Beach speaks out:
I am a resident of Myrtle Beach and have spent 3 years watching the violence and disregard for the law spin out of control on a day that I should be able to celebrate with my children honoring our family members who gave their all for this great country. […] I would like you to consider publishing this article in any section that is available to bring awareness of the trials our small community has been struggling with. On the heels of our Governor Nikki Haley’s that she will take action to stop the bikefest, I believe this article will sum up the events that have led up to her decision. ~ Janel Ralph
~ A City Under Siege ~
Imagine for a minute living in the middle of a war zone, being afraid to leave your house for fear of getting raped, robbed, or even murdered. Having police officers garbed in full riot gear or military attire stationed on every street corner, but still unable to keep the peace. Spending sleepless nights due to the echoes of what sounds like gun shots.
Right now you are probably thinking, “I am so glad I don’t live in a third world country,” however this is not happening in another country—according to residents of Myrtle Beach, SC every Memorial Day weekend this is what they endure in their hometown—a “family friendly” vacation resort town.
Every year over Memorial Day weekend, Atlantic Beach, a tiny community adjacent to Myrtle Beach, hosts an annual bike festival. Atlantic Beach unfortunately does not have the infrastructure to house the influx of participants, which in turn has left Myrtle Beach with the responsibility of housing and policing the attendees. The end result has caused Myrtle Beach to become the hub of the Atlantic Beach Bikefest.
Instead of Memorial Day weekend creating a time of remembrance for our fallen soldiers, or a time to relax with family members at a BBQ, it has become a weekend “purge” for lawless attendees to commit crimes on others.
This is clearly evident in the promoting of the event, ItsHoodTV’s opening credits on their Youtube video reads:
“In a World…Where N****s can’t do s**t without being arrested. One city…Agrees to let them do whatever the hell they want for one weekend. Memorial Weekend MYRTLE BEACH, SC”.
This year’s (2014) event transformed the streets of Myrtle Beach into a crime spree; in a 24 hour period of time, 6 different shooting incidences took place resulting in 3 people dead and 5 people recovering from gunshot wounds.
The worst of the weekend’s shootings happened on Saturday night. Police responded to a mob like fight around 11:00 pm at the Bermuda Sands Resort adjacent to the Boulevard (Ocean Boulevard). Shots were fired before police arrived, injuring Keith Williams, 28. While police where attending to Mr. Williams, a second round of gunshots rang out on the second floor of the hotel, killing Devonte Danzler, 21, Jamie Williams, 28 and eventually Sandy Gaddis Barnwell, 22.
No arrests were made in the shooting.
Over the 3 day festival over 1,200 EMS calls were made and in some instances first responder units trying to help victims were fired upon. Exact statistics on rape, armed robbery, stabbings and other criminal activity have yet to be released.
Unfortunately these statistics are not out of the norm for the Memorial Day weekend.
In the past business owners who have witnessed the violence escalate have made the decision to close their businesses to ensure safety for their patrons and staff. Those closings where promptly met with lawsuits filed against the city and business owners by the NAACP, quickly spinning what should have been a violence/safety issue into a racially inflamed debate.
The NAACP Field Operations Chief Rev. Nelson is quoted saying “Closing businesses or refusing to provide equal services to Black Bike Week visitors that are provided to other visitors at other times of the year, not only makes no economic sense, it is against the law.” The NAACP enacts a complaint hotline every year so attendees who feel they are being racially discriminated against can call and voice their complaints.
The NAACP also states they are increasingly concerned about the “disproportionate number of arrests” that occur during the Memorial Day festival.
Since the heated race debate has been waged in the south for years, the city officials and residents have been left crippled in attempts to ensure the safety of its citizens.
An employee (who requested to remain anonymous) who works at one of the many areas beachwear stores located on Ocean Boulevard describes the pandemonium that ensued on Saturday night during one of the shootings that claimed the lives of three festival goers as being in the middle of a war zone. He explains:
“Once gun fire rang out, a mob of people ran into the store trying to escape the violence. Once the shooting stopped people then decided to start running out of the store with all the merchandise—someone even tried stealing the manikin. During the chaos the front window of the store was broken, the displays were turned over or simply destroyed, the store was basically left in shambles, forcing the business to shut the doors until the mess could be cleaned and inventory could be taken.”
He goes on to explain that since he has been employed on the Boulevard shootings have occurred every Memorial Day weekend and he has feared for his safety every year. He also explains that throughout the weekend people urinate on the front of the shop, change clothes in the aisles of the store, and fornicate in and around the store.
Most residents of the area explain that if they are not forced to work they leave town if they can afford it. Others spend the weekend prisoners in their own homes afraid of what will happen if they venture out.
Most businesses report a loss after the weekend due to the amount of extra staff required, theft, and destruction of property. The City has to foot an astronomical bill for the increase in police and EMS units as well as the thousands spent to clean up the city after the bikers leave.
For several years the residents have been crying out for change and have been ultimately ignored. Unaware tourists still come to the area for the Memorial Day weekend and are shocked at the weekend’s violence. One tourist visiting from Alaska last year was on the Boulevard when shots rang out and he describes the scenario as “like nothing he could have ever imagined, complete anarchy.” He explains that he witnessed “a complete crime wave” and was appalled that nothing he saw was reported on any of the news agencies “not even the shooting that took place in a crowd of hundreds.”
He goes on to say “the area is covering up crimes that have been occurring for years and have risked lives in the process.” He feels that the only reason city officials are now addressing the issue is because of the national recognition that a video posted on Instagram gained over the Saturday Night shooting that resulted in the death of 3 people and injury of 2 others.
Ultimately the weekend’s violence coupled with the national recognition resulted in a standing-room-only turn out at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
Full house at the Ted C. Collins Law Enforcement Center. The aftermath of Atlantic Beach Bikefest on agenda. pic.twitter.com/WFlMibirmL
— April Baker (@AprilBakertv) May 27, 2014
Every addressee to the council had the same resounding voice: put an end to the violence and allow the residents to take back their city no matter the cost. Residents pleaded with Mayor John Rhodes to quit being ineffective and take action to end the siege that has afflicted the community he was elected to protect.
One business owner made a proposal of calling for the City Council member’s resignations if they could not find a solution. An Iraq war veteran explained, “I came to Myrtle Beach to forget the terror of Iraq. Now I feel like I can’t even drive down Ocean Boulevard.”
Misty Cohen, the owner of Lulu’s, (a restaurant on the Boulevard) addressed Council with these statements, “We were verbally abused. There was a fight in the restaurant: I cannot run a business when it does not feel safe.”
Downtown resident Jill Sanderson explained that crowds of people gathered in her yard throughout the weekend and when she would ask them to leave they got violent, “My life was threatened all weekend long!”
Other property and business owners described how people urinated, defecated, and where having sex on their private property.
A long term resident of Myrtle Beach and former Army ranger David Newsom sums it up:
“It is a shame when a single weekend and its events hold a city hostage. Memorial Day is a time of remembrance and honor for those that have given the ultimate sacrifice for this county. To have such brave deeds overshadowed by an outbreak of crime and destruction is a sad reminder of how little some people care about this great sacrifice.
The people who come to Myrtle Beach during this weekend’s festivities and perpetrate these crimes are cowards and simply don’t deserve the freedoms afforded them. I have heard people say it’s not everyone that comes down committing crimes…90% of the people are just having fun.
The problem with that is it (the number) is 10% of 500,000 people. So you have to ask yourself as a city and a community: is it worth fighting off 100% of this festival to get rid of that 10%? The answer is YES!”
Even after the violence that took place over the weekend the city of Atlantic Beach is still unwilling to co-operate with Myrtle Beach in cancelling the festival.
The Myrtle Beach community is skeptical that the violence will stop without the co-operation of the city of Atlantic Beach. Even after pleads to the city of Atlantic Beach the mayor has stated that they “have no plans to change things for next year,” and websites that support the festival, such as Face Book page “Black Bike Week,” which has over 230,000 likes has been pre- promoting the Bike Week Festival for 2015 with posts that read “black bike week isn’t Banned or Canceled!!!!” and, “Big up to the Atlantic beach Mayor for not falling for the Hype and press bs.”
The site is also encouraging patrons to make their reservations now for next year’s rally.
Blog poster to the site Kristal Lyons commented:
“I left myrtle beach Monday morning and the after math of bike week on the streets was just disgusting and a disappointment of how black ppl or ppl period dnt even care. Just sad!!!! I enjoyed myself there but I will not return to that mess again.”
She was quickly responded by the host of the site with this statement, “Shut the hell up. They have people who get paid to clean the streets.”
SFMC, a once supporter of the rally, posted this statement:
“By: Daughter of the BBW Founders. Black Bike week was not created for people of color to act a damn fool. It started with my father and his friends when they returned from the military after Vietnam. They all rode bikes in Germany and they use to ride to Atlantic Beach and meet up with other riders. If you remember black people were not suppose to ride south because of their color. But they did. People need to understand that these men fought for our country couldn’t ride in peace on their own. This was something they did annually for fellowship.”
“It’s sad that daddy will not go anymore because people have lost sight of fellowship, commitment, and common sense.”
It is hard to see why the city of Atlantic Beach can condone an event even the original founders won’t attend.
The crime wave that took place over the weekend coupled with the resident’s outcry caused city officials and community leaders to request help from Governor Nikki Haley.
A closed door meeting took place on Friday May, 30th, 2014 between the Governor and City officials. After the meeting Governor Haley addressed the press stating simply it is, “time for that Bikefest to come to an end.”
The governor went on to say there was a lack of organization surrounding the event and expressed her disappointment at the weekend’s violence and loss of life.
She also said area officials and her office will meet and put a plan in place to end the Atlantic Beach Bikefest.
Residents are hopeful that a peaceful resolution can be made and Myrtle Beach can once again honor all the fallen veterans of our country respectfully and without violence and chaos.
…” We will continue from this point on, til’ next year, to try and come up with a way to solve the problems that we have. Because you’re right, I see it wasn’t safe, we were held hostage”.