Jersey Shore Town Declares Emergency Due to Boardwalk Mayhem

(TargetDailyNews.com) – The city of Wildwood, New Jersey got a little too wild over Memorial Day weekend after the city reportedly shut down the boardwalk on Sunday evening due to a large number of “unruly, undisciplined, unparented children.”

Mayor Ernie Troiano Jr. highlighted that the horde was causing civil disruptions and was a nuisance to the public; they were also inciting several calls to the police. Troiano said that they would not tolerate violent teenagers disrupting the atmosphere and taking police or emergency resources away from other calls.

By Sunday, May 26th, it was apparent that the problem was such that the city had requested aid from surrounding townships. Chief Joseph Murphy informed city commissioners that the civil unrest was a danger to the public and the government declared a local emergency in response. The emergency allowed the government to close the boardwalk Sunday evening through early Monday morning, which largely prevented further chaos.

Police officials reported that the volume of the calls was impeding their ability to respond to other situations where residents needed help from the police. Authorities said they won’t be issuing further statements or clarifications on the matter.

So-called ‘teen takeovers’ have become popular venues for youth in major urban centers. This isn’t the first time one has turned violent and required a mass police response.

On Saturday, May 25th, a 15-year-old boy was stabbed on a boardwalk in Ocean City which triggered a panic as people fled the area. He thankfully survived. Police explained that a fight broke out which triggered the stabbing. The investigation is still ongoing.

The video went viral in April of last year when a teen takeover in Chicago triggered riot-like conditions. The horde was completely out of control and required a massive police response to quell. Chicago Mayor Brandon Scott said it was “not constructive to demonize” the mob of teens and blamed society for starving the children of “opportunities.” Scott was hotly criticized by conservatives for the suggestion.