Jury: Myrtle Beach’s traffic loop during Bikefest would have been used regardless of race

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) – A federal jury has reached a verdict in a lawsuit filed against the city of Myrtle Beach by the NAACP that centers around the Atlantic Beach Bikefest.

The NAACP’s lawsuit accused the city of Myrtle Beach and the Myrtle Beach Police Department of implementing policies that discriminate against the mostly African-American attendees of Bikefest, which is also known as Black Bike Week.

They alleged that participants in Black Bike Week are trapped in a 23-mile traffic loop and that they have seen a militaristic police presence that is implemented by the city of Myrtle Beach and the Myrtle Beach Police Department.

The trial began the week of Nov. 30 and concluded Dec. 10 when the jury reached a verdict.

According to that verdict, the jury found that the NAACP had proved “by a preponderance of the evidence that race was a motivating factor in the Defendant’s official actions regarding Black Bike Week.”

The jury found the city of Myrtle Beach had proved “by a preponderance of the evidence that it would have made the same decision anyway, even if it had not considered race in its official actions regarding Black Bike Week,” according to court documents.

According to the verdict, no compensatory damages were awarded to the plaintiffs.

“The City of Myrtle Beach appreciates the opportunity to explain the traffic management and safety plan for the Atlantic Beach Memorial Day Bikefest and today’s thoughtful decision by the federal court jury in Florence,” according to a statement from the city. “The jury’s decision confirmed that the safety plan was the right plan for the event, given the number of people, vehicles and pedestrians and the violence and other safety challenges which arose through the years. The public’s safety always has been and will continue to be the city’s top priority.”

The traffic loop first went into effect in 2015 following deadly shootings on Ocean Boulevard during the 2014 Bikefest over Memorial Day weekend.