D.C. punts on extending teen curfew zones amid council disagreement
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Despite a flurry of "teen takeovers" — rowdy gatherings of high schoolers that have sometimes turned violent — the D.C. Council on Tuesday punted on extending youth curfew zones.
Why it matters: The emergency curfew law will sunset while kids are on spring break, which supporters of the law warn could lead to mayhem.
The latest: Council members on Tuesday postponed action on the curfew zones, which have been in effect for eight months and end April 15.
- Police have been allowed to declare parts of the city, like Navy Yard, temporarily off-limits for people under 18 to congregate.
- The juvenile curfews can be instated as early as 8pm, earlier than the city's daily curfew, which starts at 11pm.
Friction point: Council member Brooke Pinto is the law's chief proponent, and she urged her colleagues to support the measure.
- But it lacked the votes, with lawmakers divided over whether curfews are an appropriate response or whether young people need more opportunities for public recreation.
Mayor Muriel Bowser is putting pressure on the council to extend the law.
- "The juvenile curfew has been described by some as a bandaid approach to preventing criminal and unsafe behavior by youth," she wrote in a letter to the council. "While I do not necessarily agree with that description, it makes no sense to remove a bandaid from an active wound."
Context: Since the law has been in effect, 19 curfew zones have been declared over select weekends. No arrests have been reported in the areas, the Bowser administration says.
- Bowser shared with lawmakers copies of flyers circulating on social media promoting future takeovers, with AI-generated graphics and headings like, "Takeover at Navy Yard, Gallery, L'Enfant ... BE LIT!"
What's ahead: The council postponed a vote on extending the law until its next legislative meeting on April 21.