A video of the City Bike Boys getting kicked out of Kona Skatepark, one of the most iconic skateparks in the U.S., made the rounds online, pulling in the usual mix of outrage, support and armchair officiating.
At the centre of it was Kona owner Marty Ramos, a long-time steward of the park, and a group of riders known more for city clips than traditional skatepark sessions.
The interaction escalated. Voices rose. A phone got grabbed.
And just like that, it was everywhere.
The apology
About a week later, Ramos posted a video response.
It was direct.
“I’m wrong. Totally wrong with how I handled it,” he said. “Totally wrong for losing my temper. Totally wrong for grabbing that phone out of his hand… my bad.”
“I’ve got no excuses… I was wrong and completely sorry to everybody involved, including the City Bike Boys.”
Ramos explained that the situation started with confusion over bikes. Specifically an e-bike brought into the park and a breakdown in communication.
“I just need to know what’s going on,” he said. “People at least communicate what’s happening or make some arrangements.”
Still, he circled back to the core point.
“No excuse for me and how I’m acting… I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did.”
Two sides, one comment section
If the original clip spread fast, the apology travelled just as quickly, along with the comment section that followed.
Some backed the park owner.
“You weren’t wrong at all… it’s your job to make sure everybody follows the rules,” one commenter wrote.
Others pushed back.
“Props for apologizing… unfortunately you are still bending the truth quite a bit,” wrote one of the City Bike Boys, clarifying that only one of their bikes was electric and “WE DID NOT RIDE AN E-BIKE IN YOUR PARK.”
The tone ranged from supportive to critical to somewhere in between.
“It takes a real adult to admit that you did something you’re not proud of,” another commenter added.
Old park, new tensions
Kona Skatepark has been around for decades. Since 1977. According to their website it’s “oldest surviving skatepark.” It’s seen just about everything: BMX, skate, moto, film crews, trends that come and go.
But this felt different.
Part of that is the collision between two worlds. A legacy park built on community and rules. A new wave of riders built on content and reach.
Ramos touched on it in his apology.
“Typically when a social media influencer or brand comes into the park, they introduce themselves,” he said.
There’s no clean ending here. The video is still out there. The opinions aren’t going anywhere. But the apology shifted the tone.