The full moon has brought increasing crowds to a drum circle at La Jolla’s Black’s Beach, where a man was stabbed last month. With more people expected to celebrate the lunar cycle this weekend, police have coordinated interceptive measures, planning to clamp down on any illegalities, such as bonfires and alcohol.
“The drum circle revolves around a bonfire, so without the fire, that’s gonna put a major damper on it,” said Frank Lazzaro, lead drummer for Damaru. “As well as providing light and heat. That circle always discouraged alcohol and drugs, though.”
Although Lazzaro said he’s spoken to people who attended last month’s drum circle at Black’s Beach “” a stretch of sand known for its unofficial clothing-optional status ” he said he stopped attending months ago when the “energy” changed and tensions grew.
But this weekend, police won’t focus on the type of energy people bring with them; they’ll be sticking to the plan, citing beach violators.
“Once you get down to the beach, you have City of San Diego property and then you have the other half state park property,” said Lt. David Nisleit of San Diego Police Department’s (SDPD) Northern Division.
SDPD plans to collaborate with state park rangers, UCSD police and lifeguards for this weekend’s full moon event, Nisleit said. Officers will enforce every rule, from the alcohol ban to prohibiting fires and glass, he said.
“Do we plan on doing anything this weekend? Yes, we do ” with the sole purpose of making sure that nobody gets hurt,” Nisleit said.
Police said they are still investigating the July incident, in which a group of men allegedly attacked another man, stabbing him during the full-moon drum circle.
A group called the Rainbow Family started the Black’s Beach drum circle, but former regulars like Lazzaro said they no longer attend, citing alcohol abuse, among other reasons. On their Web site, the Rainbow Family said it is no longer affiliated with the Black’s Beach circle.
“Most of the people that go down to participate are peaceful types,” Lazzaro said. “The way I heard it was that he [the stabbing victim] was attacked by a small group. I don’t know what prompted it. I doubt very much it was from the drum circle.”
Some reports estimated last month’s crowd at about 1,000. Lazzaro said the size of the crowd wasn’t an issue as much as the demeanor ” mainly, that people began to lurk and peep instead of participating.
“It turned out to be more of a spectator activity,” Lazzaro said. “And because it’s Black’s Beach, you get the occasional topless woman, so then you get the lurker. It brought kind of a scummy element.”
Meanwhile, Nisleit said police plan to take an enforcement posture this weekend when the moon is at its fullest Saturday, Aug. 16.
“No police department can prevent people from going to a beach that’s open,” Nisleit said. “There’s no alcohol on the beach, no smoking on the beach and no fires on the beach.”