Fights, Fireworks Thrown at Police in Chaotic Fourth of July Celebration in Newport Beach

A Fourth of July celebration in California turned chaotic as fights broke out and fireworks were thrown at police officers — who charged into the crowd on horses before taking at least 100 people into custody, according to reports.

Police were called to Newport Beach, a coastal city about 45 miles south of Los Angeles, around 7 p.m. Saturday after a rowdy group of people began setting off fireworks and fighting on the beach and on nearby streets, KABC reported.

Videos shared on social media showed officers on horseback charging on the beach to break up the unruly crowd.

The disorder didn’t stop when authorities arrived, and some of the partiers began throwing fireworks at police officers, according to the report.

Several officers were injured in the chaos, but are expected to recover, authorities said.

Much of the disruptive behavior took place outside a Pavilions grocery store. According to some reports, the store was allegedly looted during the chaos.

Police had not shared a final arrest count, but officials told KABC that at least 100 people were taken into custody.

Aerial images showed the large crowds were still gathered just after 10 p.m., as at least one person was being loaded into an ambulance, CBS LA reported. It was not immediately clear how many people were involved in the incident and how many injuries there were.

A police skirmish line was also formed, and attendees were instructed to return home, according to CBS. It was not immediately clear what caused the conflict.

The Independent has contacted the Newport Beach Police Department for more information.

The incident remains under investigation, according to KABC.