Police say approximately 400 people flooded the Mall at Bay Plaza on Saturday evening.
This is at least the second time in recent months that police have been called to the shopping center for alleged teen rowdiness.
Viral TikTok videos show mostly young New Yorkers running around the mall’s three floors, yelling and swinging chairs as cops chase them.
Mall officials told News 12 that “from our understanding, a group of young people came to the Mall based on a false rumor of a social media influencer being on the property.”
The mall also stated that the incident was resolved with the NYPD and mall security.
Police say no injuries were reported, but some mall shoppers believe the latest incident is part of a larger pattern.
During the 2024 holiday season, a mall brawl became viral.
Businesses in some parts of the city have begun enforcing curfews or prohibiting minors from entering, but youth advocates argue that this is not a sustainable solution.
Latanya DeVaughn is the founder of book-bus Bronx Bound Books and collaborates with Bronx House, a community center located 15 minutes from the mall.
DeVaughn used to run a book kiosk at the mall and says the majority of the kids she met were polite and interested in reading.
“We were all teens once, but there were less cameras around when we were kids,” she told me.
According to DeVaughn, many young people do not have access to “third places,” or places outside of their home or school where they can safely hang out with other kids and avoid trouble.
The American Economic Journal found that adolescents who had access to third places were more likely to stay in high school, attend college, and develop other interpersonal skills.
“They have a lot of energy, and they need a place where they can just be themselves, as well as a safe environment. Places like Bronx House provide a positive alternative for them to pursue other interests.”
