A downtown alderman is, in a way, saying “told ya so” after a teen trend spun out of control Wednesday night, until police began enforcing the city’s long-established 10 p.m. curfew.
For more than two hours, an estimated 400 people, mostly teenagers, flooded street corners in the Loop as 911 callers reported fights, shoplifting mobs, and other chaos that has become all too familiar in the social media-fueled phenomenon commonly called “teen trends,” though city officials more euphemistically refer to them as “large groups.”
At least three people were taken to hospitals for injuries suffered in attacks on downtown streets during the trend. Chicago police said eight juveniles were arrested and 24 received curfew citations.
CPD had units deployed downtown and at Promontory Point in anticipation of the trend, which aligned with Chicago Public Schools’ spring break week. Only the downtown trend gained steam.
Starting around 7:30 p.m., large numbers of young people were reported near the intersection at the Wrigley Building. That crowd made its way across the river, where things quickly spiraled.
By 8:15 p.m., a migrant vendor who sells fresh fruit near Millennium Park told police that a group of teenagers stole the knife she uses to cut produce, threatened her with it, and walked away, tossing the blade into the street.
Random attacks were reported throughout the downtown area. One officer observed a group harassing homeless people, knocking down their cardboard box shelters. Other groups were reported jumping on cars.
Around 9:30 p.m., a passerby caught video of a violent attack on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Randolph Street. The victim was knocked unconscious and taken to a hospital by EMS.
Moments later, just a block away, a large group began tasing and spraying each other with pepper spray, officers reported.
At exactly 10 p.m., police announced the city’s curfew had taken effect and issued dispersal orders. Juveniles who did not comply were detained and cited.
Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd), who has repeatedly pushed Mayor Brandon Johnson to support a so-called “snap curfew” ordinance that would allow CPD to order juveniles out of an area overrun by troublemakers even before the city’s standard curfew kicks in, was in the Loop Wednesday night watching it unfold.
“I’m at State and Lake,” he posted on X at 10:48 p.m. “Crowd partially dispersed by 10:40 p.m. The situation was out of control about an hour ago. But then at 10:00 p.m., an order was issued for curfew enforcement. It had an immediate impact on this violent teen trend. Curfew enforcement is effective.”
Of those arrested on Wednesday night, CPD said seven were charged with misdemeanor reckless conduct: a 13-year-old girl, a 14-year-old girl, a 15-year-old girl, a 15-year-old boy, a 16-year-old girl, and two 16-year-old boys. A 16-year-old boy was charged with three felony counts of aggravated assault of peace officers and misdemeanor reckless conduct.
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