Greatstone beach party organiser pays £750 to cleanup charity - BBC News
A litter picking charity urges people to "move on" after a beach party prompts a social media storm.
People criticised the gathering at Greatstone beach on social media

Organisers of a beach party that ended in violence and left waste strewn across a Kent beach have pledged £750 towards a litter-picking charity.

A row has continued on social media about events at the Greatstone beach "cookout" on Sunday.

Four police officers were injured and a man was arrested after the party.

Eric Brown, from Litter Picking Watch Romney Marsh, said organisers had contacted the group and he urged people to "move on".

On Twitter, a video has been posted of what has been described as "road rage madness" showing a car reversing and a police officer ending up on the ground.

Some have hit out at the lack of social distancing, the rubbish on the beach, and questioned claims by the organiser the event was for under-privileged youth from London.

Others have pointed to the public apology given by Wayne Williams, director of Flavour Boss restaurant in Croydon, who organised the event.

Organiser Wayne Williams claimed many more people turned up to the party than were expected

Mr Brown wrote on Facebook: "A member of our group has been in contact with the organisers of yesterday's beach party.

"Firstly they would like to say that this wasn't what they intended to happen or planned and would like to apologise to everyone who was affected by what went on.

"They have promised a very generous donation of £750 to our charitable group 'Litter Picking Watch Romney Marsh' to help fund this and any further organised litter picks the group may have."

He said the event had left local people feeling intimidated and threatened, but he added: "Nobody's perfect, mistakes were made, good intentions and all that."

Mr Brown wrote that the restaurant, a family business, had received threats against them and had apologised profusely.

He thanked everyone who took part in the beach cleanup and said: "We need to bury the hatchet and move on."

Susan Pilcher posted on Twitter that a lively afternoon turned into an "ugly evening"

Kent Police said it was continuing to investigate the disturbance.

One officer was injured in a collision with a car, and the other three were hurt during an arrest, when it is alleged that bottles were thrown, a police spokeswoman said.

All four were treated at the scene by paramedics.

The 29-year-old London man who was arrested received hospital treatment for an eye injury and remains in custody, she added.

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