DC emergency teen curfews expire Saturday as permanent law looms

WASHINGTON - Targeted juvenile curfew zones created to curb large, disruptive gatherings of teenagers throughout the District are set to expire at midnight, leaving a multi-week gap before a permanent law takes effect.

The temporary weekend curfew zones, which restricted minors under 18 from gathering in groups of nine or more between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m., were established under an emergency order issued by Mayor Muriel Bowser on May 22.

What we know:

Bowser enacted the measure after the D.C. Council initially declined to vote for a temporary emergency bill. The restrictions were fueled in part by a recent viral video showing a disruptive incident at a local Chipotle.

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Earlier this week, the D.C. Council blocked a temporary emergency extension of the order. Some councilmembers and civil rights groups told FOX 5 D.C. that the city should focus its efforts on youth programs instead of increased policing.

READ MORE: DC faces summer youth curfew gap after council emergency vote fails

With D.C. Public Schools letting out for summer break on June 18, the expiration of the mayoral order leaves city leaders without the authority to create targeted curfew zones until the permanent juvenile curfew law officially takes effect on July 16.

What they're saying:

Speaking at the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Bowser addressed the ongoing challenges, noting that while the children involved are mostly not in the judicial system, their large gatherings disrupt neighborhood peace and require heavy police attention.

"How can we discourage kids from gathering 200 at a time, with nothing really to do," Bowser said. "And how can we have alternatives for them? We call it late-night drip, or late-night hype…where our Department of Parks may activate one of our pools, one of our larger recreation facilities. So now we're teen party promoters, in some aspect."

What's next:

While the special 8 p.m. neighborhood restriction zones expire tonight at midnight, the Metropolitan Police Department is reminding the public that the standard citywide curfew remains in effect. Under those ongoing rules, all minors under the age of 18 are prohibited from being out between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.