After several massive fights among teenagers at the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance last year, the mall announced a new policy to crack down on unruly behavior.
Starting March 1, all minors have to be accompanied by an adult age 21 or older after 3 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. One adult can chaperone up to four youths, and “all accompanied youth must remain with the adult at all times,” the policy states .
The new rule also applies to mall employees under 18, who are allowed to work during the policy hours but will have to leave the premises or find a chaperone as soon as their shift ends.
According to a statement by Simon Property Group, which owns Del Amo Fashion Center, the plan was formed “in response to feedback from the community and community leaders” after last year’s brawls.
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On a Saturday afternoon in late December, a large gathering of teens devolved into chaos, prompting a dozen police agencies to shut down the mall early. At least one youth and one police officer were injured, and five minors were arrested.