Ocean Beach harshing on marshmallow war

SAN DIEGO (CNS) – Ocean Beach is about sick of marshmallows, and locals will plead with Fourth of July revelers day to lay down their arms.

Tossing the puffed-up confections on the Fourth of July has over the years evolved into marshmallow wars that turn the streets into a sticky mess. Last year, a child and a senior citizen were injured, local businesses were damaged and more than 2,000 pounds of trash were left behind, according to the Ocean Beach Town Council, a nonprofit, volunteer organization.

Members of the town council and San Diego police will join forces today in an effort to put a stop to the decades-old tradition. The announcements will be made at the Veterans Plaza, where they said remnants of last year’s marshmallow war can still be seen.

As of about two weeks ago, several area businesses have already signed a “Mallow Out” pledge on the town council’s website, saying they would not sell marshmallows around or on the Fourth of July or otherwise promote the event.

The annual marshmallow fight started out as a friendly rivalry between two families, but has grown to “violent altercation” that has caused thousands of dollars in damages, according to the town council. Last year’s fight also damaged clean-up equipment, caused traffic tie-ups at the intersection of Newport Avenue and Abbott Street and brought negative attention to the neighborhood.

The Ocean Beach Town Council passed a resolution calling for an end to the tradition in September. It also called for San Diego police to enforce littering and vandalism laws, and to cite those who throw “potentially harmful objects” in public areas.