Nowhere To Go; The Teen Takeover Dilemma
Hundreds of teens flooded Orange Park Mall on a warm July evening, hoping for connection, fun, and freedom. Within hours, the gathering was shut down, arrests were made, and Jacksonville’s youth were once again left asking: where are we supposed to go?
The Rise of Teen Reunions
Recently, teens in Jacksonville have orchestrated “Teen Reunions,” which have now been labeled “Teen Takeovers”, around Jacksonville to find things to do. JSO (Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office) shuts them down every time. They set up a curfew, but no one talks about how teens don’t have enough places to hang out locally anymore.
A City Built for Tourists, Not Teens
Jacksonville is advertised as a tourist city, where you can get away, rest, and relax. But for teens living here, it’s too much resting. Options are limited. Jacksonville is a place of bowling alleys, skating rinks, trampoline parks, and shopping centers. But when you live here your entire life, those things get old.
Crackdowns and Curfews
On July 5, in Clay County, an Instagram user (@chofetti) hosted a teen reunion at Orange Park Mall. This event brought hundreds of teens out of their houses. But eventually it was shut down by JSO; anyone under the age of 18 was forcibly removed from the premises. Some teens were arrested, while others ran while they waited for their parents to pick them up. A similar event happened on July 26 in downtown Jacksonville at Friendship Fountain. Unlike the Orange Park reunion, this was planned to be a “Fight Fest”, where some would come to host fights. This was also shut down by JSO. Although we cannot excuse the behavior of these teens, people must acknowledge the fact that teens need new places to go.
“Law enforcement, however, sees these gatherings through a different lens,” Sheriff T.K. Waters said during a District 3 town hall meeting. “I’m not trying to tell people how to parent, but if your kids are out beyond curfew, they may find themselves in trouble.”
Waters emphasized that while teens may view these events as harmless fun, JSO has witnessed serious incidents, including drug use, fighting, and pepper-spraying. Their response, he said, is aimed at maintaining public safety and preventing escalation.
“Make sure you’re at home if you’re underage before curfew because we are going to start arresting them,” Waters said.