DC Mayor Muriel Bowser implements juvenile curfew after ‘weeks of disorderly behavior’

Bowser announced the move Saturday in a post on X, writing, “We are declaring a limited juvenile curfew in Washington, DC. Effective immediately, all juveniles under the age of 18 are subject to a curfew from 11PM until 6AM, which will extend through 11/5. This is in response to several weeks of disorderly juvenile behavior which endangered both themselves and others.”

Under the order, anyone under 18 is prohibited from being in public places or on the premises of establishments after curfew hours unless participating in certain exempted activities.

The decision follows a violent altercation on Halloween night near the Navy Yard that resulted in at least 10 arrests, including four minors. Police said the incident began as a peaceful gathering around 7:30 pm but escalated when “several hundred juveniles” flooded into the park, fighting, blocking traffic, and refusing police orders. One officer was injured and treated at the scene.

The curfew allows police to establish “special zones” where enforcement can begin as early as 6 pm. According to the New York Post, the four zones that went into effect on Saturday include

Banneker Recreation Center, Union Station, Navy Yard and the U Street Corridor. Juveniles who violate the curfew can face fines of up to $300 or up to 10 days in jail.

The Metropolitan Police Department reported 18 curfew violations on the first night of enforcement. Fourteen teens were cited in the U Street Corridor, while two others were stopped by First District officers around 12:24 am, and two more by Third District officers at 9th and U Street Northwest at approximately 2:51 am.