DC Mayor Imposes Curfew On Under-18 Juveniles After Wave Of Chaos

Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser has imposed a sweeping four-night citywide juvenile curfew, a drastic move that underscores the deepening public safety crisis under her administration. The order takes effect immediately and applies to all residents under the age of 18 amid a sharp rise in teen-led violence, vandalism, and mob-style chaos across the capital.

The mayor acted after weeks of highly visible disorder, capped by a large crowd of teenagers overrunning the Navy Yard area Friday night. City officials described the scene as dangerous and said the situation demanded emergency intervention.

“All juveniles under the age of 18 are subject to a curfew from 11pm until 6am, which will extend through November 5,” Bowser announced on Saturday. “This is in response to several weeks of disorderly juvenile behavior which endangered both themselves and others.”

The curfew will be imposed citywide each night through Wednesday, according to the mayor’s office.

Under the emergency security plan, the Metropolitan Police Department has been granted authority to designate “special zones” — neighborhoods considered high-risk — where curfews may begin at 6 p.m. Police can also establish temporary curfew zones if eight or more minors are found congregating in ways deemed threatening to public safety.

The Daily Mail noted that the move marks one of the most extensive youth curfew crackdowns Washington, D.C., has seen in years, reflecting concerns over rising juvenile crime, “flash mob” gatherings, and group assaults that have become increasingly common.

Initially, the group involved Friday night was relatively calm — but that changed quickly.

The teens were peaceful at first but as the night progressed the, “group began engaging in fights and disrupting the flow of traffic, repeatedly ignoring instructions to remain on the sidewalks.”

Footage shot by a nearby resident captured teens running through a park while police and National Guard servicemembers pursued them amid shouting and confusion.

A large coalition of law enforcement — including D.C. Police, the National Guard, Capitol Police, Metro Transit Police, and federal task force units — flooded the Navy Yard area and spent hours dispersing the crowd.

By 11 p.m., the area was cleared and five individuals had been detained.

Eighteen-year-old Kaeden Brown was arrested for allegedly carrying a knife. Four minors, ages 14 to 16, were taken into custody on charges ranging from disorderly conduct and public marijuana use to refusal to follow police orders. Metro Transit Police made additional arrests, though the full number remains unconfirmed, according to the Daily Mail.

One police officer was injured after being thrown to the ground during the confrontation. He was treated at the scene and is expected to make a full recovery.

Meanwhile, National Guard troops stationed in Washington appear likely to remain in place far longer than initially planned. Internal communications suggest preparations are underway for the Guard to remain deployed well into summer 2026.

According to filings in newly surfaced court documents, General Leland Blanchard — the interim commanding general of the D.C. National Guard appointed by President Donald J. Trump — advised his officers to “plan and prepare for a long-term persistent presence.”

In a message sent on September 17, 2025, to National Guard leadership nationwide, Blanchard said he directed units in D.C. to “work quickly toward ‘wintering’ our formation,” indicating that the deployment would continue past the current authorization deadline of November 30, 2025.

The extension could last through “America 250,” the United States’ 250th anniversary celebration in the summer of 2026.

While Guard members do not perform arrests, the Trump administration has credited their deployment with a steep increase in criminal apprehensions and a restored sense of order across the city.

Since the security surge began on August 11, more than 2,000 arrests have been made — roughly 1,500 by the Metropolitan Police Department and the remainder by federal law enforcement, including ICE, CBP, FBI, DEA, and ATF agents.