TikTok stars Bryce Hall and Blake Gray are in trouble with local authorities for repeatedly throwing huge “COVID parties” in the Hollywood Hills. The influencers reportedly kept hosting the parties after several police warnings and the suspension of utilities. Now, city officials are looking to take further legal action that could result in jail time for Hall and his buddies.
The latest from Los Angeles has City Attorney Mike Feuer filing misdemeanor charges against Hall and fellow TikToker Blake Gray. The attorney called Hollywood Hills parties thrown by the pair “potential super spreader events.”
Photo: YouTube
“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,” Feuer said in a statement.
Residents of the Hollywood Hills told the Daily Mail that, since moving in at the beginning of August, Hall has already held “dozens” of parties in the house. The parties have allegedly continued despite Los Angeles Mayor Anthony Garcetti’s announcement that water and power could be shut down for homes that host large gatherings.
A neighbor named Catherine told the Mail that the area has descended into a “party warzone” thanks to Hall and other partiers on the block.
“There’s screaming, drinking, bottles of Titos and Solo cups everywhere,” she said. Catherine described a night where partiers set off fireworks in mortars, among other lewd and destructive acts surrounding the parties.
Photo: YouTube
“There’s a flagrant disregard for the area,” she said. “I’ve been out walking my dog and seen throngs of people coming towards me with no masks, completely high or wasted. And then these people are getting in their cars and driving down the hill.”
The Hollywood Hills resident said that the debauchery hasn’t stopped there.
“There’s damage to property and cars,” she said. “I’ve seen someone taking a s**t on the street opposite my home, people having sex in cars. All of a sudden it feels like the wild west.”
Another neighbor who spoke out was Anita Greenspan, the wife of 70-year-old former Devo singer Mark Mothersbaugh. Greenspan disclosed that her husband was diagnosed with COVID-19 in June. His symptoms were reportedly so severe he nearly died in an intensive care unit, says the Mail.
Photo: YouTube
“This virus is no joke,” Greenspan said. “There was a week where my daughters thought he would die.”
Greenspan told the outlet that parties thrown by TikTok stars on her street have interfered with Mothersbaugh’s recovery from the illness.
“It makes me crazy, the sheer inconsideration. It goes on all day long,” she said. “There are people in the pool screaming, they’re blasting music and there are cars parked all down the street. They don’t seem to care about public health.”
Authorities have responded to the TikToker’s constant shindigs as well. After a party on August 8, which reportedly hosted dozens of revelers with no masks or social distancing, police posted a notice of violation on Hall’s residence. A second warning posted on August 14 warned about “a directive to the Department of Water and Power to disconnect utility service to the above location without any further notice to you.”
Photo: Kathy Hutchins, Shutterstock
Hall and his influencer buddies responded flipantly to the warning. Taking to TikTok, they posted a clip of three shirtless men flicking lights on and off with the caption “our lights keep flickering for some reason.”
Howevever, on Wednesday, August 19, Mayor Garcetti announced that the city had made good on the threat.
“Despite several warnings, this house has turned into a nightclub in the hills, hosting large gatherings in flagrant violation of our public health orders,” the mayor said in a statement. “The city has now disconnected utilities at this home to stop these parties that endanger our community.”
Possible Jail Time?
Suspended utilities could be the least of Hall’s problems. If he and Blake Gray are found guilty of the misdemeanor charges, they face up to a year in jail and up to $2,000 in fines, said the city attorney.
Distractify reports that Hall was also arrested in Texas back in May on drug charges. One condition of his bail was reportedly that he not engage in any illegal activity, according to Twitter influencer account @DefNoodles.
4. Texas DA’s office confirmed they are closely looking at revoking Bryce Hall’s bail for drug-related arrest in May because conditions of Bryce’s bail demand that he does not engage illegal or immoral activities. pic.twitter.com/sUAunQudjL
— Def Noodles (@defnoodles) August 22, 2020
“Texas DA’s office confirmed that they are closely looking at revoking Bryce Hall’s bail for drug-related arrest in May because conditions of Bryce’s bail demand that he does no engage [in] illegal or immoral activities,” the account claimed.
so in home you all wear masks but in party’s don’t? ok
— fe | PRAY!¡♡ (@jxndamelio) August 18, 2020
Meanwhile, social media users are condemning Hall and his actions as selfish. Among these was Twitter user @ByErneston, a nurse who called the TikToker “part of the problem.”
“You’re not a role model, but [your] platform has sadly turned [you] into one,” the user said. “Coming from a nurse currently on the front lines. You’re part of the problem.”
Dear Bryce Hall,
— your virtual BestFriend (@ByErneston) August 25, 2020
You’re not a role model, but u’re platform has sadly turned u into one. U don’t “regret” throwing the party. You REGRET the consequences thrown at u now. Coming from a Nurse currently on the front lines. u’re part of the problem #COVID19 is no joke. #privilege