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Chicago Teen ‘Takeovers’ Prompt Curfew Push and Policy Fight

City leaders face pressure to give police earlier dispersal authority.

Overview

  • The Hyde Park gathering, which unfolded March 30, drew hundreds who filled streets, climbed on parked cars, and left residents reporting widespread vehicle damage.
  • Chicago police issued three curfew citations after 10 p.m., and a 16-year-old girl was charged with unlawful gun possession and disorderly conduct, according to police.
  • In an April 3 video message, Mayor Brandon Johnson called the events “teen trends,” warned they can turn deadly, and urged parents to keep children home as officers enforce the city’s 10 p.m. curfew.
  • The incidents have revived a curfew debate after Johnson vetoed a measure that would have let police order earlier dispersals during large, disruptive gatherings.
  • Police in other cities are tracking social media to pre-position officers, as shown at Glendale, Wisconsin’s Bayshore Mall on March 29 where a planned takeover drew hundreds and led to 13 arrests.