The Council of the District of Columbia voted Nov. 4 to approve emergency legislation reinstating a youth curfew for 90 days. The curfew originally came into effect Nov. 7 after a series of incidents involving youth violence.
The law requires all people under the age of 18 to observe an 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew and prohibits congregations in groups larger than eight after 8 p.m. The measure, which passed 9-4, reflects Washington, D.C.’s growing concern about youth crime and public safety following an incident in Navy Yard Oct. 31 where hundreds of teenagers broke out into fights, resulting in 10 arrests.
After the Oct. 31 incidents, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a public emergency, which gave the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) chief the authority to enact a youth curfew from Nov. 1 to 5. The recent vote was to extend the legislation for three more months.
Councilmember Wendell Feder (D-Ward 7), who voted in favor of the extension, said he supports it as a way to protect youth…