Greekfest 1989: Looking back at riots that made Virginia Beach look at itself, look ahead

It wasn't a race riot, but race was a major factor Labor Day Weekend 1989 when chaos broke out at Greekfest at the Oceanfront. Nearly 28 years later, many view Greekfest 1989 as a turning point in the history of the Resort City: www.13newsnow.com/article/new...
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[@brucearmacost8598]

A large gathering of young Black people would never get out of control. Anyone who tried to contain their festivals is a racist.

[@tedtimmis8135]

Obviously, you’re being sarcastic.

[@pjc4425]

I was there with friend , we are two 18 year old surfer white boys not too smart. My friends father worked for Virginia pilot newspaper as camera man & went missing after violence erupted so we went on foot search for him. We ended up getting chased by mob , fleeing into hotel & knocking on doors in panic seeking safety. We knocked on @ least 3 doors before someone answered. Black girls on vacation from Richmond VA opened door & yelled "Get in now!" They saved us from major beatdown.. maybe death. Anyway that was my 89 Greekfest experience A freaking scary one I will never forget.

[@SHUTTERSHOT45]

Denial, Deceit, and Delusion

[@andrewboyle3770]

My boy shuttershot45! Fancy seeing you here.

[@terrybull2903]

I was there in 89 , and it went downhill BEFORE the Cops intervened.... There was gunfire , vandalism and looting , before the police ever showed up ! Tell it like it is!

[@JabrenHarris98]

That is a whole lie and u know it. U weren't there. They still do the same thing today dont like us playing music and enjoying ourselves

[@ilspeth99]

@@JabrenHarris98it’s not a lie. I lived there.

[@bassinbillRC5300]

​@@JabrenHarris98 Excuse me but do you have ever seen what happens during Miami Spring break from college you saw what happened in Atlanta where freaknick was totally banned because a lot of you folks don't know how to control yourselves the music sounds the school but a lot of it the neighbors don't want to hear the thump dump dump of cars going Down the street because most Normal people Don't play It like that. So sit down and shut your ghetto trap.

[@morticiaheisenberg9679]

It's a shame that people cannot act right. If you behave like a civilized person, you don't have to worry about police. If you act like a savage, expect a beating.

[@LL-ws7le]

In 1988 there was some vandalism to hotels and stores during the end of summer Greek fraternities weekend. People filled the street blocked cars from traveling on Atlantic Avenue. There were some fights etc...The next year police presence was increased. Many store owners closed their shops early or didn’t open at all. There wasn’t planned entertainment. Prior to the 1989 Greekfest riot there was chatter by locals at the shipyard and other places that “something big “ was going to go down at the VB oceanfront. And it did. It may be coincidence that within minutes of each there was an outbreak of vandalism ,rioting at the south end, mid oceanfront and north end. Some say it was planned. There was sudden looting, smashing of business windows, shops were stripped bare of merchandise, even the 7-11 was emptied out. People threw TVs furniture from hotel balconies. The interstate was backed up from around Newtown road to Birdneck road. To enter the oceanfront from Birdneck Rd exit you had to show proof of residency to return home from work or wherever you had been. The next day the oceanfront and beach was closed . National Guard were posted everywhere. We lived by Rudee inlet and walked up with our out of town guests and their small children to see if we could go swimming by Dolphin Run Condos. Nope. Atlantic Avenue was covered with glass, merchandise and hotel TVs,furniture. Many shops never reopened. There are many sides to what happened and why. In the end it was a loss for everyone - students, visitors, locals, residents, merchants, police, the city.

[@dominicfaison5889]

Sounds like the work of agent provocateurs

[@oohweeoohwee9222]

They trying to blame fight the power.

[@mamaserati9944]

I was there. We were having the best time of our lives. It was fun. Idk who messed it up. I've never experienced anything like this again.

[@Rizzo731]

Hey..are u on fb or ig…I’m doing a documentary on Greek fest

[@C-Lyfe85]

Did you ever go to freakNick?

[@nicero870]

I was too. 19 years old, In the Navy, hanging out with two buddies. I’ll never forget the police helicopter and riot squad.

[@clarkkent3730]

I was there too is the best time of my life

[@mikeshogunlee]

I imagine the shop owners felt differently

[@MeadeSkeltonMusic]

I was a child when it happened Even then i knew too well about the 13 percentage

[@basquait1]

The Crazy thing is that I was stationed in Virginia Beach/Norfolk/Chesapeake from 87 to 91 and didn't know about Greek Week 'til 89. After that it moved outside Norfolk State and lost its appeal.

[@C-Lyfe85]

Probably because it wasn't near any beaches anymore

[@raskltube]

wait, so it was the cops who started the riot? how does that work?

[@MADNEWYORKER914]

Yes!!! How did it work??? Well when you have a place like Va Beach that predominantly then there will be a problem when they see blacks having fun. The cops would yell at people for standing in front of their hotel, shop owners on the main strip would yell at you if you didn't hurry up and buy something. We were at a stop light when a cop walked behind my cousin's car and hit her car with his night stick because he felt like. The night of the riot after everything calmed down, a group of us were walking down the street when two cops in riot uniforms were walking towards us, and as soon as we got a few feet from them, they started swing their night sticks and chasing innocent people, and most of them were women. But I don't expect you to believe that.

[@JabrenHarris98]

Are you dumb? Its VA the south and VA beach is predominantly white. They're going to have a problem and plus VA beach is 2nd most segregated city in VA and one of the most segregated city in the country right now.

[@MADNEWYORKER914]

@Coastal Stone You're damn right there was a lot of damage!!! There should've been more damage.

[@MADNEWYORKER914]

@Coastal Stone You know it, family!!!

[@rochellelee3667]

I was there. The property damage started in response to us being hassled & harassed by the police. They meant for us to leave and we meant we had the right to be there. That’s when it took a destructive turn. The City got mad because Labor Day was no longer a family friendly weekend for Va Beach. Residents & Business owners complained bitterly...Even though we were down there spending hella money. But the beach got too black & they decided it was time for us to go.

[@LIVE4MUZICK]

They teach us a lot in Hampton roads about Hampton roads. No one said anything about this. Weird.

[@virginiaisforgardeners]

Yep. While attending VBPS no lesson was taught on the politics on behind why Virginia Beach became a city, either. Seems *integration* had a LOT to do with it...

[@Virginia91]

My dad was in charge of the national guard during the riot

[@yelloh13]

What unit was he in. I was there!

[@michaellrakes5521]

Saying this was directly caused by the city and the police is quite biased and skewed. I have no doubts whatsoever that there were racist and aggressive police force present that night, because that exists every single day in America. But this wasn't 1968-1969 Miami. The destruction of local businesses, looting, vandalism of hotel property wasnt by the police, it was by the attendees. You cant rewrite history to fit a new narrative, that's called revisionism and that's something you strive to combat normally, but accept it here.

[@LL-ws7le]

The increase police presence was in response to vandalism to hotels and stores that occurred the prior year. (1988). In addition there was chatter among locals that something big was going to go down at the oceanfront.

[@jj18057]

Bull shit. The national guard were there the whole damned weekend

[@ShaunteDaurice]

I'm interested to hear these same people's thoughts on SITW. Just curious.

[@arkybaldknobber8062]

Shaunt'e....congrats!, ghetto name of the week!

[@micahcook2408]

Arky Bald Knobber what the fuck dude

[@TikaRoxanne]

@@arkybaldknobber8062 And your name?? FOH LOSER!

[@crewmax4240]

This is a good report. I never gave Virginia Beach a second thought - my first being it was a place of racial turmoil. My wife asked me if I'd ever been there so I searched it out. Glad to hear it was an anomaly.

[@devildawgpryde4764]

I was there. down on 2nd st and walked up pacific to 25th street.

[@henry4480]

Wow

[@ARKH76]

'Don't know what the cause was'? Really?!? Maybe it had to do with the dozens of black limo type cars with blackened windows and New York tags I followed to Atlantic Ave. and saw all the men get out!! I wish I had known who Al Sharpton was and what he looked like back then!

[@johnstarling1883]

I was a 19 white boy that decided to ride my bike through the middle of it before the riot started . The police had cleared everyone out of the street to obe side or the other. Black kid chased me on roller skates just being funny to everyones amusement. No one in that crowd, that i witnessed, was violent. Everyone was just trying to enjoy themselves.

[@leighcori3465]

WOW this was not due to the police.... You only have to look at that the problem is! They do what they want when they want.

[@sandrashinabarger5698]

They’re seriously putting blame on police for that 1989 event???

[@MADNEWYORKER914]

I was there, and YES, it was the cops and store owners who provoked the entire incident!!!

[@pga1under]

you are full of shit .. I was actually there .. funny how you dont mention all the sexual assaults, theft , armed robbery, shots fired , drugs , fights , drunk in public, drunk driving and all the other violent conduct arrests that took place ..these arrests resulted in assaults on the police and destruction of business property damage that started it all.

[@ronniew9546]

TheQuawn40 were*. You weren’t there and your grammar sucks.

[@MADNEWYORKER914]

@TheQuawn40 Facts!!! And don't forget how the souvinear shops and hotel managers were acting.

[@clarkkane6021]

MADNEW YORKER no it wasn’t stop lying

[@katherineharrington3200]

I remember it a lot differently, I was there.I was 17 at the time I remember watching furniture and and other items being thrown from hotel balconies and the stores being looted.please don't use the race card.It was behavior only when you sit on the roof of Chicago pizza and watch thousands of people tear up your city simply because they are drunk don't use the race card.

[@MADNEWYORKER914]

I was there as well, and I saw how the police and store owners were acting, and the hotel employees!!! And not to mention all of the lies that the residents of that area were spreading on the news. I bet if this happened in Orlando Florida were much worse things, you people wouldn't be saying shit!!!

[@pga1under]

you are full of shit .. I was actually there .. funny how you dont mention all the sexual assaults, theft , armed robbery, shots fired , drugs , fights , drunk in public, drunk driving and all the other violent conduct arrests that took place ..these arrests resulted in assaults on the police and destruction of business property that started it all. The riots actually started because these morons were blocking an ambulance on Atlantic Ave from getting to someone who had been shot.

[@katherineharrington3200]

Glen Rivers Hold up!I was a 17 teenage girl stuck down in the middle of something I never should have been, my parents couldn't even get to me! I was lucky I had friends that kept me safe.It wasn't a picnic for me either!.

[@katherineharrington3200]

Glen Rivers for the record,I was a white 17 teenage girl scared and by myself.so please don't tell me I am full of shit.

[@kbw.rvwhntr]

Katherine Harrington funny thing was that I had just turned 19 at the time and a few of us were talking about going to that event and we all had a bad feeling about it because the tension was brewing during the previous fest they had in 88. We decided not to go which was the best decision we ever made! I'm so sorry you went through all that.

[@rochellelee3667]

Community leaders created a plan alright...A plan to get us tf up outta there. Now the no cursing, no cruising, no loud music signs are up to make sure we never gather again.

[@andrewboyle3770]

Hopefully you never get innocently targeted during a riot by one of your fellow brothers and sisters

[@yvonnepedersen7031]

I was there!

[@King__XL]

I was there.

[@acedavis1051]

Now we just voting

[@rollwithit5150]

I was there and saw it. Back then the cops were dirty.I moved away in 1991 and never returned, not even for a visit

[@BongLogic757]

You wont be missed here.

[@mad3byj]

@@BongLogic757 how do you know

[@flewbyu]

@@mad3byj because he hasn't been missed since '91...

[@christopherbanks6325]

Alllll lies that the kids started it… a police officer assaulted a black Man and girl…. And some black people tried to help the couple … I was right beside the officer

[@shawnl2934]

FAKE

[@marvkinnel5829]

Was there and they were pushing people around

[@user-ph2mv9xx2p]

The systems where booming loud

[@chrisg2282]

🤔🤔

[@daveb9698]

Why do black youngsters always riot.?I could never understand that

[@JabrenHarris98]

Why do white supremacists luv to riot? I'll never understand smh🤦🏾‍♂️

[@daveb9698]

@@JabrenHarris98 way more prevalent in the black community... I'm Mexican American we dont riot in our community we just want work.. get your shit together

[@daveb9698]

@@JabrenHarris98 its 2020 dont start with bullshit excuses

[@daveb9698]

Baltimore ... Chicago... New Orleans... get your shit straight.. stop worshipping a gangster lifestyle....

[@daveb9698]

You guys are way more fucked

[@kathleenstewart6129]

sounds to me like the police and guard got the job done

[@shottashabazz6721]

I hate Karens

[@Pacific-qu7en]

The police in each city are the biggest militant trained gangs, with no regard for the law, I’m sure you would’ve been a die hard Loyalist for King George and his red coats.

[@denisemartin6751]

Girl bye!!

[@wildstar43]

What job was that? Excessive force and profiling?

[@glennparks8581]

A very biased report

[@knightmareoflegends2380]

Fun Fact White a college Guys started this incident, It wasn’t black guys,

[@pjc4425]

White college guys @ Greekfest? That's a good one lol. As that being my stomping ground , I know that not to be fact. VB policing & some hood that attended were cause. It could of been prevented If VB city council would of requested Portsmouth & Norfolk police officers assist VB police that weekend. They would of ejected trouble makers peacefully not fueling flames getting college kids involved.

[@SF-sl7fi]

Oh ok.🙄

[@nolva757]

I heard somebody punched a police horse and then it erupted

[@Truth_Seeker9]

if the cops werent there the shit would have never happened