The City of Beverly Hills is suing a YouTube video creator and a promoter for at least $200,000 to compensate the city for police and administrative costs associated with a spring parade that caused the temporary closing of Rodeo Drive.
According to the Santa Monica Superior Court lawsuit filed on Oct. 26, Austin McBroom used the social media to lure his followers to Beverly Hills for a May 29 parade prior to his June 12 match with fellow YouTuber and TikTok video creator Bryce Hall in Miami, an event billed as “The Battle of the Platforms – YouTubers vs. TikTokers.”
The fight’s promoter, Sheeraz Hasan, and his company, Fame by Sheeraz, also are defendants because they “guided McBroom’s strategy and execution of the unruly gathering,” according to the complaint.
Representatives for McBroom and Hasan could not be immediately reached.
The 29-year-old McBroom, working with Hasan and his company, posted a flier on Snapchat advertising a “YouTube Takeover Parade” in which McBroom implored his fans to “be ready to take over the streets,” the suit states.
“McBroom later bragged about this unlawful act on social media,” according to the negligence and nuisance abatement suit, which also seeks punitive damages. Hasan shared the same flier with his own social media followers the day of the parade, the suit states.
Rodeo Drive was closed between Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevards for about 90 minutes because of the hundreds of fans present.
McBroom was required under Beverly Hills municipal ordinances to request a permit and work with the city staff to help ensure that all public safety concerns are addressed, along with collection of permit fees and procurement of insurance providing liability coverage for the parade, the suit states.
The city learned of McBroom’s event through social media posts and police “immediately knew” no such activity had been approved, according to the suit, so the department was ready with more than 35 BHPD officers, seven Santa Monica Police Department officers, 13 private security guards, one helicopter and several city administrative personnel, the suit states.
Due to the demeanor of the crowd and in order to “control the mob of fans loyal to McBroom, the BHPD executed its plan to declare an unlawful gathering, barricade Rodeo Drive to traffic and control the crowds using police officers in full riot gear,” the suit states.
Within hours, the crowd was dispersed “through the diligence of BHPD officers,” after which the city was forced to clean the streets of litter and debris left behind by the McBroom followers, the suit states.
City News Service
