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WASHINGTON - D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has declared a public emergency allowing the city to reinstate and expand juvenile curfew rules ahead of the Memorial Day weekend.
The order imposes earlier weekend curfew hours, extends the curfew to include 17‑year‑olds and authorizes the Metropolitan Police Department chief to establish extended juvenile curfew zones in specific areas.
The emergency order takes effect May 22 and remains in place through June 6.
READ MORE: FBI offers $5K reward in Navy Yard Chipotle assault investigation
Under the order, all youth under 18 are subject to nightly curfew hours with the same responsibilities and exemptions outlined in the Juvenile Curfew Act of 1995.
The police chief may declare a curfew zone when at least nine youths are expected to gather, or have already gathered, in a way that endangers the safety of young people, residents or the public.
In those zones, youth under 18 are prohibited from gathering in groups of nine or more beginning at 8 p.m.
City officials say the expanded curfew authority has been used in a limited and targeted manner as part of a broader strategy to engage youth and prevent crime and disorder.
RELATED: DC Council passes permanent youth curfew after final vote
D.C. lawmakers have approved a permanent law giving the police chief authority to declare extended curfew zones, though that legislation has not yet taken effect.
The legislation makes permanent a policy approach the city had previously implemented through temporary emergency measures and executive action. Those steps were taken in response to so-called "teen takeover" events—large, sometimes chaotic gatherings that officials say have been occurring since 2023.
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Teens wanted after Chipotle brawl; Drivers trapped after power poles snap
TOP HEADLINES: New pictures have been released of the teens wanted after a brawl in a DC Chipotle. Plus, drivers are trapped after powerline poles snap in Frederick County.
A wild brawl erupted inside a Chipotle restaurant in Navy Yard last weekend, where video shows two groups of juveniles attacking each other and throwing furniture across the dining area.
At one point, one youth grabbed a children’s high chair and used it to strike another before hurling it at him. Customers ducked for cover as the fight spilled through the restaurant, with onlookers trying to shield themselves from the chaos.
The Source: Information in this article comes from DC Mayor Bowser’s office and previous FOX 5 reporting.