Amna Nawaz
@PBSNewsHour·5.3M subscribers·62.2K videos
WATCH: Why 'teen takeovers' are taking off
Posted
June 9, 2026
Views
13,769
Likes
494
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3.59%
June 9, 2026
13,769
494
3.59%
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4:39Now Playing"Teen takeovers" — where teens coordinate on social media to show up en masse at the same place and same time — have swept some U.S. cities in recent months.
At times, these meetups have turned violent, putting officials on edge as schools across the nation let out for the summer.
How are cities responding? Some have been enforcing or strengthening youth curfews, which require residents under 18 to be home after a certain time. But research shows curfew laws overall are not effective at reducing crime. Lily Robin, a senior research associate at the Urban Institute, said many teenagers who attend a "takeover" are just looking for things to do, and aren't finding many alternatives. She talks with PBS News' Tim McPhillips about what's behind the trend and what works when it comes to curbing takeovers and limiting crime.
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