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Watch Jacksonville police disperse a planned street takeover by teens<\/p>\n
Officers dispersed a crowd of about 600 to 700 juveniles on the city\u2019s Southbank near Friendship Fountain during planned street takeover.<\/p>\n
Ari Pinto\/Provided by JSO<\/p>\n
Planned mob-like gatherings of young people<\/a> have become disruptive and sometimes violent, but local authorities have been proactive and responsive like Saturday night, July 26, in downtown Jacksonville.<\/p>\n Officers dispersed a crowd of about 600 to 700 juveniles on the city\u2019s Southbank near Friendship Fountain, according to the Sheriff\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n \u201cSome individuals were engaged in problematic behavior, including drug use, fighting and pepper-spraying each other,\u201d the Sheriff\u2019s Office said.\u201cJSO was aware of several planned \u2018takeover\u2019 events circulating on social media and monitored the situations closely, noting the organizers used multiple locations in an attempt to be deceptive.\u201d<\/p>\n Before it even started, the Sheriff\u2019s Office said officers issued warnings to the events\u2019 organizer and parents advising against such a gathering without obtaining a city permit.<\/p>\n That didn\u2019t stop them as a crowd emerged and quickly grew larger and more unruly, the Sheriff\u2019s Office said. With the St. Johns River Park, also referred to as Friendship Fountain, closing at 10 p.m., officers began to disperse the gathering and arrested a juvenile reaching for his backpack that had a gun inside.<\/p>\n They also blocked nearby roads, including access to the Main Street bridge, to prevent the crowd from relocating.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThese takeover-style gatherings are not only illegal, but they can also be extremely dangerous,\u201d the Sheriff\u2019s Office said. \u201dJSO will continue to monitor similar situations, enforce local curfews and uphold park regulations to ensure public safety.\u201d<\/p>\n What is a street takeover?<\/p>\n A street takeover is an unsanctioned event where a group of people gather, often using motor vehicles, to engage in reckless driving and other dangerous activities like blocking intersections for spectators.<\/p>\n These events are often promoted on social media and frequently involve stunts, races and hot-rodding.\u00a0They are considered unlawful and pose significant risks to public safety, including endangering drivers, passengers and spectators, as well as causing property damage, noise complaints, and hindering emergency services.<\/p>\n They are illegal and in many jurisdictions are classified as a public nuisance \u2014 an activity that disrupts safety, order or comfort in a community.<\/p>\n Law enforcement concerns about trend of street takeovers<\/p>\n Following the Jacksonville Sheriff\u2019s Office posting of a video and response to the matter, the Jacksonville Beach Police Department did the same.<\/p>\n \u201cThe topic of teen takeover has been addressed by me numerous times in the past months. A few weeks ago, it was the Orange Park Mall<\/a>, this time is downtown Jacksonville, and is occurring all throughout the country,\u201d Police Chief Gene Paul Smith said. \u201cIn Florida, we are fortunate because we do not let it escalate before we take action. We have been experiencing this for years, and now they have a name for it.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition, the Jacksonville Beach Police Department issued another warning on July 17 on its Facebook.<\/p>\n \u201cUnauthorized and Unpermitted Events are AGAINST THE LAW,\u201d the post read. \u201cUnauthorized events include any event or gatherings that are publicly promoted and have not successfully completed the Special Events application process. This includes promoting on Instagram, SnapChat, Facebook, etc.\u201d<\/p>\n Promoters will be subject to both criminal and civil liabilities, and attendees breaking the law will be arrested, the department advised.<\/p>\n \u201cZero Tolerance. No warnings. No do-overs. No second chances. Just some handcuffs and a trip to jail,\u201d the concluded.<\/p>\n This also followed a more serious planned gathering of upwards of 400 teens at the Jacksonville Beach Pier on St. Patrick\u2019s Day last year that led to three shootings<\/a> and one killed during the chaos.<\/p>\n What happened at the Orange Park Mall?<\/p>\n In Clay County, the chief was referring to the Sheriff’s Office there warning ahead of time on Facebook that it would be out in force for an orchestrated gathering planned at the mall on July 5.<\/p>\n The young people still caused concern and disturbances that prompted a raid by deputies, sending hundreds of participants scurrying. Social media posts and videos went viral overnight.<\/p>\n Sheriff Michelle Cook later said one juvenile civil citation was issued, a number of kids were detained and parents were called for pickup”\u00a0during the incident.<\/p>\n Does Jacksonville have a curfew?<\/p>\n Yes, the Sheriff\u2019s Office advised parents and legal guardians to be aware of Jacksonville\u2019s curfew ordinance: \u201cUnder Municipal Code Section 603.201 (Children\u2019s Curfew)<\/a>, you are legally responsible for knowing the whereabouts and activities of your minor children. In general, children under the age of 18 may not be out in public after 11 p.m. on weeknights or after 12 a.m. on weekends unless accompanied by an adult or participating in a permitted activity such as work.\u201d<\/p>\n