12 Arrested Downtown After Large Group Of Teens Causes Disturbances
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A dozen teenagers were arrested downtown Sunday, as the warm weather once again brought a rowdy crowd of young people, fighting and causing chaos in the River North neighborhood.
Police said the teens were arrested for fighting Sunday evening as officers were trying to disperse a large group that had gathered downtown and caused multiple disturbances near Chicago Avenue and State Street and Chicago Avenue and Dearborn Street.
Many of the teens ran away as police threatened to arrest them if they did not leave.
Several groups of officers could be seen patrolling in the River North and Gold Coast neighborhoods after the teens had been arrested.
The arrests come less than a week after hundreds of teens ran through downtown causing trouble, and fighting among themselves. Police say they had 200 officers on the scene, and as many as 500 young people were involved. A total of 26 people were arrested, charged with disorderly conduct, and released into the custody of their parents.
Over the last several years, Chicago police often have dealt with large groups of teenagers causing disturbances downtown during warm weather over spring break or summer vacation, as large groups of teens gather and act rowdy along the lakefront, the Magnificent Mile, and other areas in and around downtown.
Police have typically said they order the teens to disperse, and will let them leave if they head toward public transportation, only making arrests when the teens ignore police orders, or are seen fighting or harassing other people.