(RepublicanDaily.org) – The popular “Orange Crush” spring break event in Savannah, Georgia added to its infamy after police arrested more than 50 people and issued more than a hundred citations for offenses anywhere from littering to fighting.
Videos making the rounds on the internet show piles of trash and junk littering the beach of Tybee Island, where the event has been held since 2020. Videos also show fights breaking out among attendees, including women, who pulled each other’s hair and wigs – one fight even had a young woman tear off the bikini top of another girl as the majority of the people surrounding them cheered and took videos of the spectacle on their phones.
The often chaotic and booze-driven party is an annual event, which began as a spring break activity for students of Savannah State University and other black college students. It also was historical in the sense that during its inception in the late 80’s, it was a symbol of resistance against the prevailing racial discrimination against at the time. The name “Orange Crush” came from Savannah State University’s school colors, as well as a popular soda drink at the time. Organizers picked out Tybee Island as the location for the event as it was an area that was generally considered as whites-only at the time.
However, as the parties got more out of control, Savannah State University cut off its association with the spring break party in 1991.
Tybee Island’s small police department had its hands full again this year, as tens of thousands of students flocked to the popular tourist destinations’ beaches. Around 40,000 to 50,000 students were said to have joined the seemingly no-limits jamboree this year.
Last year, celebrations were marred by a road rage incident where a 38-year-old man shot at another car during the jubilee. The victim sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot wound and survived the ordeal.
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