Latest news with #youthViolence
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Chicago alderman pledges to fight Mayor Brandon Johnson's vowed curfew veto, won't ‘twist arms'
CHICAGO — As Mayor Brandon Johnson promises to veto the teen curfew ordinance passed by aldermen, the measure's lead sponsor says he will keep fighting to make it law. Alderman Brian Hopkins, 2nd, won out over Johnson in the City Council on Wednesday when his plan to give Chicago's police superintendent power to declare teen curfews anytime, anywhere passed in a 27-22 vote. But his victory could be fleeting. Johnson quickly pledged to cast a rare mayoral veto, the city's first since 2006. The planned move means Hopkins must garner votes from 34 aldermen to overrule the mayor, a high bar that would require him to flip as many as seven council members. Still, Hopkins said Thursday morning he will move ahead in July with a City Council vote on Johnson's anticipated veto. He plans to keep making the case for his ordinance but added that he will not be heavy-handed. 'I'm going to keep pushing back on the deceptive spin, but I'm not going to call my colleagues and twist arms. Everyone is going to vote their conscience on this,' the downtown alderman said. The Wednesday vote and veto pledge marked decisive steps in Hopkins' two-year push to give police more power to curb the so-called 'teen takeover' youth gatherings that have sometimes ended in high-profile violence, including two Streeterville shootings in Hopkins' ward in recent months. Youth activists and civil rights groups have criticized the curfew measure as an unfair and unconstitutional crackdown that especially harms Black and Latino teens from poor neighborhoods that offer little safe fun. They also argue that those same teens have been left out of the debate and that aldermen should instead invest money in youth jobs, violence prevention and safe activities. 'Our children are gathering to escape the violence in their neighborhoods, the trouble at home and other conditions that they have no control over,' said Abierre Minor, a 25-year-old appointed by Johnson last year to the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability. Minor recalled speaking after the vote with her 15-year-old sister, who argued media coverage of 'teen takeovers' has been sensationalized and that all people should have the right to gather as they see fit. The police oversight commissioner said she was 'disheartened' by the City Council majority's decision, but praised Johnson's 'swift and strong' response. 'Every year, our decision-makers propose repressive, ineffective policies to address community violence that does nothing but cause confusion and community harm,' Minor said. 'This year, something different happened. We had a leader who decided to break the cycle.' The Cook County public defender's office and progressive groups have also backed Johnson's stance. Just after the measure passed, Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates urged the mayor, formerly a CTU organizer, to veto it, likening the curfew ordinance to Jim Crow segregation laws. 'The people of Streeterville don't need the police to keep Black youth out of their neighborhood. The people of Chicago need policies and programs that serve and center Black youth,' Davis Gates wrote. Johnson's administration is currently drafting language and plans to officially veto the measure soon. The mayor had long shared tentative criticism of the potential curfew, but ramped up his opposition to the proposal this week. He argued after pledging a veto that the curfew ordinance would harm 'trust within communities' as the city's violent crime rates sharply drop, and compared the measure to crime laws 'that have overwhelmingly led to the criminalization and the incarceration of poor people and particularly people of color.' 'Offering up extended police power, without any check or balance, has not boded well for Black people and brown people in this country,' he said. Hopkins argued Thursday the 'snap curfew' label Johnson and others have used to describe the measure is a misnomer. The measure requires police to give 30 minutes notice onsite before a curfew is implemented. It also requires the superintendent to consult others to declare a curfew, but gives the top cop final say. Superintendent Larry Snelling said in court last week he would not use any power allowing him to declare sudden curfews, but suggested he could use the ordinance to declare preemptive curfews days in advance when police learn of planned, potentially chaotic gatherings. He has carefully distanced himself from the political debate in statements. Johnson has argued he and Snelling are aligned on the matter, but said future superintendents should not have the technical ability to quickly declare curfews with little or no oversight. A final vote ought to move forward in July, without legislative trickery from either side, Hopkins said. 'That'll put the matter to bed, and I'd rather do that briefly than have it degrade into a parliamentary mud fight,' he said. 'I think at this point I am done having persuasive conversations with my colleagues.' Much could happen before a mid-July vote that might pressure aldermen to change sides, he added. He cited, as he did during City Council floor debate Wednesday, reports of a large and chaotic teen gathering at North Avenue Beach earlier this week. Police said they arrested five teens at the beach Tuesday, including three minors, for misdemeanors and citations including battery, resisting arrest and possessing alcohol. ____
The Sun
01-06-2025
- General
- The Sun
Hideous ‘eyesore' is meeting place for 300 feral school kids fuelled by cheap booze who beat daylights out of each other
FAMED for its skyline and world class university Oxford is perceived to be a popular and successful city. That reputation is now being threatened by a spate of mass public brawls, rocketing drug use and a growing homelessness problem that is fast becoming a crisis. 12 12 12 Nowhere is this explosion of anti-social behaviour more evident than at the Templars Square shopping centre, less than two miles from the centre of Oxford. The dilapidated shopping centre has become overrun by drug users, drunks and, most recently, huge gangs of children from three rival schools gathering for brawls. Recently, more than 300 teenagers, fuelled by cheap alcohol bought illegally nearby, brought terror to the shopping centre over three days. Shoppers and business owners say cops left security officers from nearby stores to deal with the wave of violence, only turning up on the when the fighting was winding down. Charity shop worker Claire Johnson, 57, told how she bravely stepped in to try and break up the fighting. 12 12 Claire, who spent many years working with children from challenging backgrounds, said: 'In the main, it is boredom that drives these conflicts. 'They've got nothing better to do so they come down here to the shopping centre in groups from their schools and they start picking on kids from rival schools. 'Something will get said on social media and an argument will erupt, then before you know it you've got 300 kids down here from three rival schools wanting to beat the living daylights out of each other. 'This aggression and bravado is fuelled by cheap booze they're picking up at numerous off licenses in the area. Whether or not they are using fake ID or just stealing it, I don't know. 'The result is these mass punch ups we've been seeing in the shopping centre all too often. 'The most recent eruption went on for four days and involved more than 300 school children. It was awful to watch. 'I had to step in several times and try and break up fights all around me. I wasn't scared – I think I was just running on adrenaline and experience of knowing how to handle disruptive children. 'These kids were probably aged around 13 or 14 up to maybe 16. 'I just stepped in between various fighting youths and told them not to be so bloody stupid. Mostly, they listened to me and walked away, but I got a bit of abuse from some of them and I just had to leave them to sort out their grievances.' Claire, who has grandchildren and three grown-up children, blames an education system that is too quick to exclude children who misbehave at school. She said: 'Often, once they have been excluded and moved away from their friends and a familiar environment, they become even more disruptive and get into more fights and trouble wherever they can. 'I'd like to see the teachers, the parents and the pupils themselves sitting down in a room and talking through their challenges, not turning their backs on them and moving the problem elsewhere. 'If we don't do that, we're just going to see more and more trouble in this shopping centre.' 12 One of the tenants living there, Jason, 37, said: 'It is a nightmare living here. 'I was woken at 3 o'clock this morning by the sound of cops smashing my neighbour's door down to arrest him and if I come home in the evening I have to fight my way through junkies and alcoholics sitting on the stairs. 'It's noisy and frightening living here. It's so bad I can't bring my 15-year-old daughter back to my flat because I don't want any harm to come to her. As a result, we are pretty much estranged now. It is heart-breaking.' Amidst all the turmoil Templars Square recently celebrated its 60th anniversary with an Elton John tribute act appearing to entertain 1,000 shoppers. The very next day a 14-year-old boy was assaulted by a group of teenagers nearby and sustained injuries to his face, Thames Valley Police have been appealing for witnesses. Locals and employees say they have no reason to celebrate and are eagerly awaiting a planned redevelopment of the now 60 year old centre. Both the local MP and a city councillor have expressed concern over the state of the shopping centre with the the cabinet member for housing at Oxford City Council, Linda Smith, calling it "nothing less than an eyesore in places." Deborah, 52, left Oxford when she was 16 for London, but has recently returned to the city following the collapse of her marriage. She said she barely recognises the shopping centre she last saw as a teenager. 12 12 12 'When I was a kid, this was a lovely building with really good shops and a great place to meet up with friends for a milkshake. 'I hardly recognise it today. There are gangs of youths wandering around looking for trouble and lots of scruffy druggy types. 'Yesterday, I saw a woman lying on her back, absolutely off her head with drugs and today a man came up to me and made crude comments. It was humiliating And all I want to do now is go back to London. I can't believe what has been allowed to happen to this place.' Claire's colleague, Sharon Walton, said she feels so intimidated by groups of men heckling her when she leaves after a day's work that she heads straight to the shopping centre's security office and books a taxi home. Businesses and shoppers are desperately waiting for developers' plans to upgrade the shopping centre to materialise. Plans have been submitted for a luxury hotel, upscale apartment blocks and new retail units, but building work has yet to commence. Shoppers and business owners complain that the shopping centre's scruffy appearance and neglect are a magnet for down-and-outs, alcoholics and drug users who gather there in large numbers on a regular basis. Many complain that they have been harassed by drunks and are often asked for money by drug addicts and the homeless who seek shelter in the drab shopping centre. 12 12 A concrete stairwell built in the shopping centre to provide access to flats above sees heroin addicts using drugs every night and it stank of urine and booze when we visited. Claire said: 'There is no way I'll walk to my bus stop anymore because that route takes me straight past all the drunks and drug addicts leering at women and saying all sorts of disgusting things to them. 'It's just not acceptable but no one seems to be doing anything about it. 'I love working here in the store but as soon as you walk outside, it becomes a horror story. 'The developers need to begin the revamp they promised us as soon as possible because things here are getting worse and worse. 'They recently closed two homeless shelters elsewhere in the city and they all seem to be coming here now. 'The whole shopping centre seems to have become a haven for down and outs, drunks drug addicts and bored kids who want to engage in a massive punch up after school. 'Things cannot go on like this or one is ever going to want to come here to do their shopping again." Kerry, 50, said that she has been visiting the shopping centre several times a week since she was in primary school, but now dreads having to spend time there. She said 'They still have some good shops here where you don't have to pay a fortune for stuff, so I do still need to come here every so often, but I only do my shopping here now if I can't buy what I need elsewhere. It is a dump.' In March police implemented a section 60 order in the area after receiving intelligence of impending violence with weapons, this gave them greater stop and search powers. Public Space Protection Orders were approved by the city council on April 10, they cover the communal areas in flats in areas serving 199-207 Barns Road and 36-44 Upper Barr in Cowley, near Templars Shopping Park. Despite this move from the local authority, which came into effect on April 17 and will remain in place for one year, locals are still reporting anti social behaviour and violence in the area. Breaking the prohibitions in the order, which include gathering in communal, residential areas and obstructing an authorised person, can result in fines or prosecution. Data from Thames Valley Police shows there were 70 crimes committed in the area of the shopping centre in March alone, the majority of these were incidents of shoplifting but anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences were also highly reported.
CNA
28-05-2025
- General
- CNA
Tackling youth brawls in Indonesia
Youth brawls and hooliganism are hardly unique to Indonesia and are complex problems that have persisted for generations. A recent brawl involving primary students in Depok, West Java and another incident in Manggarai, Jakarta have sparked renewed concerns about the problem. CNA takes a look at the root causes of such brawls in Indonesia and what can be done to prevent them.
BBC News
25-05-2025
- BBC News
Maghull cricket club to put up fence after young people fight on pitch
A cricket club plagued by anti-social behaviour has said the only way to prevent young people from causing trouble on its pitch is to build a large fence around the 25 police reports of people harassing players, setting of fireworks and vandalising equipment have been made at Maghull Cricket Club, near Liverpool, since July last year An incident earlier this month saw young people fighting on the cricket field, some armed with hammers, during a junior coaching chairman Adam Lloyd said there was "no option" but to build a fence and block access to the ground. A 14-year-old boy from Maghull was arrested on suspicion of affray and possessing class B drug cannabis and a weapon in a public place after the fight on 2 May. Merseyside Police said he had been released under investigation, while a 17-year-old had also been questioned over the fracas. A community meeting organised by the club heard how the violence had upset children and prompted some parents to consider not returning to training sessions over safety Lloyd said witnessing the fight had been "traumatising". "The kids had never seen anything like it before, some were crying", he said, adding the violence "had to stop".He said the club would seek funding to help with costs of building the fence, but he said he would much rather youngsters took an interest in the sport. The father-of-two said, "It's a family club – when I was a kid my Dad dragged me along to the cricket – his Dad was the same. I've got my kids playing cricket – we are all invested in this club because we love doing it." Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell went to the club meeting and said building the fence would help "design out crime".She said her office could also look at helping with the cost, but added there was a wider issue to address about engaging with the young people responsible for the anti-social behaviour. 'Threatening' Labour MP for Sefton Central Bill Esterson said the fight was a "real wake-up call", which was "disturbing and hugely upsetting for the children playing cricket". He said: "Thankfully the adults intervened and prevented something much worse from happening. "Goodness knows what would have happened if people had used the weapons they were carrying."The MP said cricket had been "a big part of his life", and he had seen the joy it could bring. He called for an intervention and more activities for young people, and said "maybe some of them can play cricket and football instead of threatening and fighting each other".Spurrell said: "A lot of these kids get pulled into this lifestyle and they are vulnerable themselves so how are we intervening? "We need to identify them, but then find out why are they getting involved in this activity and then can we get them involved in something more constructive." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
'No pain like losing a child,' says knife activist
A woman whose teenage son was stabbed to death said there was "no pain like losing your child" as she launched an anti-knife crime campaign. Louis-Ryan Menezes, 17, was killed in Northampton on 25 May 2018. His mother, Cheri Curran, said a video made to deter young people from carrying a knife showed the "forever pain" felt by families. It premiered at Northampton Museum on Wednesday after being developed during workshops held across the county. "There is no pain like losing your child to knife crime but seeing everyone come together for this campaign gives me hope," Ms Curran said. "The video is from the perspective of young people - it shows that forever pain. "I hope that through this we can reach them and stop another family from living with that heartache and loss." The campaign, called "When you carry a knife, no-one wins", was commissioned by the Northamptonshire Serious Violence Prevention Partnership. Formed in 2023, the partnership's aim was to stabilise and reduce serious violence in the county, as well as understanding its underlying causes. Police and fire services were made members, as were both of Northamptonshire's councils. Wednesday's event followed a strategy that was issued by the partnership about how it would tackle issues going forward. Danielle Stone, Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said: "The power of this campaign is that it was shaped by young people, for young people. "We really need to listen hard to what they say to us. "It speaks to the devastating consequences of carrying a knife in a way that is meaningful to them." Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Knife victim's mum welcomes anti violence strategy 'Life will never be the same' Teen stabbed boy to death after Facebook row Northamptonshire Serious Violence Prevention Partnership
