‘Go Topless Jeep Weekend’ Trashes Galveston Beach, Ends With Hundreds Arrested
GALVESTON, Texas (KPEL News) - Miles of beachline were left littered with all sorts of garbage after a "Go Topless Beach Weekend" event at Crystal Beach near Galveston, Texas.
The event, which took place on Saturday, May 20, is an annual, unofficial Jeep festival at the beach, in which Jeep owners gather and celebrate the vehicle and their love of it. But the event leaves behind a lot of trash, and this year, hundreds were arrested as the party got out of control.
One Reddit user shared a picture of the aftermath, and several residents chimed in expressing outrage over how their local beach was treated.
"It is like this for MILES," the Reddit user who posted the original photo said. "So sad."
More than 200 people were arrested during the event. As it has grown over the years, so have the crowds - and the dangers that come with larger, uncontrolled groups.
According to the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office, there were a total of 234 arrests and more than 200 charges filed on Saturday.
More than 50 people were rushed to the hospital the same day, and one woman was left in critical condition.
The number of arrests and injuries increased compared to previous years.
In 2022, records for Galveston County showed 100 arrests were made during Jeep Weekend. In 2021, 200 arrests and one death were reported.
Two people were shot in 2020, and more than 100 arrests were made. In 2019, one person died.
Crystal Beach is not the only beach that was trashed by the unofficial festival. "It's the same on Stewart Beach in Galveston right now," another Reddit user noted. "So much trash from, of all places, Buc-ee's."