Chicago alderman says police are 'handcuffed' from stopping teen takeovers under Mayor Brandon Johnson

One Chicago alderman is sounding the alarm aft a caller question of teen takeovers taking spot nether Democrat Mayor Brandon Johnson, saying that constabulary are "handcuffed" from stopping them.

Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez, a Democrat, told Fox News Digital that the metropolis is successful for a "very long, precise brutal" summertime of teen takeovers and thoroughfare takeovers if the politician doesn't get a grip connected the situation. He said policies successful Chicago forestall constabulary from correctly handling the teen takeovers seen successful caller months.

"I bash not judge that Mayor Brandon Johnson is doing capable to tamper down these activities," Lopez said. "What we person seen is Chicago has present go a destination determination for amerciable thoroughfare takeovers similar this wherever hundreds of younker are encouraged to descend connected a location, and whether it's to bash mob action, careless of if helium likes the word oregon not, amerciable thoroughfare takeovers with our vehicles oregon different activities that are criminal, radical cognize to travel here."

"They cognize they tin get distant with it, and they cognize that oftentimes our constabulary are handcuffed themselves from stopping and interceding astatine these events," helium said.

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Mayor Brandon Johnson answers questions during a quality league astatine Chicago City Hall connected Feb. 25, 2025. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service)

Lopez said that Chicago constabulary officers are not allowed to "fully engage" with those participating successful teen takeovers and bash what's needed to halt them.

"We've ne'er done what it takes to authorize our officers to afloat prosecute with these individuals, to container them in, to corral them truthful that they can't escape, to apprehension them, to impound their vehicles similar the instrumentality requires america to do," Lopez said. "And we person ne'er truly pursued who is down the promotions of these events connected societal media. We cognize that they are dispersed online done Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and others, but yet we bash astir thing to find who is astatine the basal of those posts of these gatherings."

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Lopez's remarks travel aft nary arrests were made astatine a South Side thoroughfare takeover implicit the weekend, underscoring his complaints astir a deficiency of accountability for organizers.

Video taken from Chicago's Gresham vicinity implicit the play shows a ample radical of radical surrounding a totaled car connected fire, according to ABC 7 News. One idiosyncratic was seen throwing an entity into the car, engulfed successful flames, which exploded seconds later.

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A ample radical of teens floods downtown Chicago's Loop, starring to fights and constabulary effect earlier a curfew enforcement bid disperses the crowd. (Justin/Fox 32 Chicago)

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson past week avoided utilizing the word "takeover" successful a societal media post, alternatively informing residents of a imaginable "teen trend" that was acceptable to instrumentality spot connected the city's South Side.

"Chicago, determination are credible reports of a teen inclination forming successful Hyde Park aboriginal today," Johnson wrote connected X. "Parents, beryllium alert of wherever your children are going this evening. DO NOT let your children to be 1 of these gatherings; they are unsafe and tin often crook violent."

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"Together we tin support our younker and our communities safe," Johnson added.

Video from a March 30 teen takeover showed a ample assemblage of radical climbing connected cars, crowding streets and sidewalks and dancing astatine intersections.

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Democratic Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez discusses the emergence successful transgression successful Chicago connected Fox News' America Reports. (Fox News)

During that teen takeover, 3 curfew violations were issued and 1 16-year-old miss was arrested connected charges of unlawful possession of a limb and disorderly conduct.

Jason Hale, a nonmigratory of Chicago's Hyde Park, told Fox 32 that his car was 1 of 30 vehicles damaged during a teen takeover successful his area.

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Chicago constabulary detain an idiosyncratic during a chaotic teen takeover successful the Loop, making aggregate arrests and issuing curfew violations pursuing reports of unit and disorder. (Justin/Fox 32 Chicago)

"Yeah, it’s bad. The hood is messed up, terrible. A 1000 worthy of damage, dents everywhere, footprints everywhere," helium said.

Fox News Digital reached retired to Johnson's bureau for comment.

Fox News Digital's Stepheny Price contributed to this report.