Party's over for two TikTok stars charged in Los Angeles for pandemic parties

 

FILE PHOTO: A TikTok logo is displayed on a smartphone in this illustration taken January 6, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

 

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Two TikTok stars were charged on Friday for throwing parties in Los Angeles that flouted coronavirus restrictions on large gatherings.

 

Bryce Hall, 21, and Blake Gray, 19, were charged by Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer with causing a public nuisance and violating local emergency orders over parties in the Hollywood Hills that attracted hundreds of people, most of whom were not wearing masks.

 

City authorities later shut off water and power to the mansion that was being rented as a place for Hall, Gray and other TikTok influencers to work, live and create new content for the short form video app.

 

Hall in August threw a 21st birthday bash that was documented on social media by some of those attending. Feuer said it was the second time in as many weeks that police were called out to the house after complaints from neighbors.

 

"With hundreds of people attending, loud music all night long and cars blocking access for emergency vehicles, party houses are really out of control nightclubs, and they’ve hijacked the quality of life of neighbors nearby," Feuer said in a statement.

 

"If you have a combined 19-million followers on TikTok during this health crisis, you should be modeling good behavior - not brazenly violating the law and posting videos about it," he added.

 

The owners of two other homes in the Hollywood Hills area that have been the source of numerous complaints were also charged with causing a pubic nuisance.

 

The offenders could face fines of up to $2,000.

 

Los Angeles is still operating under strict coronavirus restrictions that have shut down indoor movie theaters, bars, indoor restaurant dining and gyms.

 

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Leslie Adler)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-08-29

 

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9 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

The offenders could face fines of up to $2,000

probably worth it to the offenders for the publicity they received 

23 hours ago, YetAnother said:

probably worth it to the offenders for the publicity they received 

Yeah, they should make it 200000 each! 

Unless the city also pursues the landlord(s) and sponsors, then this is all for show and will serve no purpose. The landlord has a legal obligation to manage its property and if it is aware that the  property is used for non residential purposes, then the landlord is just as guilty. Considering the fact that this isn't the first complaint against the property, I expect that the landlord was well aware and was delighted to receive  money "under the table".

On 8/29/2020 at 5:09 AM, YetAnother said:

probably worth it to the offenders for the publicity they received 

Maybe, but this article left out the part where they may also receive up to 1 year in jail.

 

I hope, that they get a couple months in jail, and not just community service, picking-up garbage on roadsides.  If they spent some in LA county jail, they might actually experience some reality, and terror.