By: Richard L. Smith
A large gathering of unruly teenagers at the Woodbridge Center Carnival on Saturday night led to the early closure of the event. It raised concerns about a growing trend of social media-organized meetups turning unruly.
According to preliminary reports, around 9 p.m., police responded to reports of disorderly conduct at the carnival, where a crowd of approximately 300 teens had assembled.
The gathering, believed to have been organized through TikTok, quickly became unmanageable, prompting Woodbridge Police to request assistance from neighboring departments.
As authorities dispersed the crowd, many teens moved into the adjacent Woodbridge Center Mall, causing disruptions and alarming shoppers.
Store owners temporarily locked their doors to protect patrons, and several individuals were detained for disorderly conduct.
This incident closely follows a similar event at Menlo Park Mall in Edison, where over 300 youths gathered on May 17 after a TikTok post promoted a meetup.
The situation escalated into a brawl, resulting in seven arrests and one police officer sustaining an injury.
At the time, Edison Mayor Honorable Sam Joshi criticized both the parents of the involved teens and the mall’s security measures, urging for increased surveillance and stricter policies.
Last night, police in Edison made their way over to the Menlo Park shopping center for extra security after crowds of teens marched down Route 1 in the direction of the mall.
RLS Media has found that these events are part of a concerning pattern of social media-fueled gatherings leading to public disturbances.
According to published news articles nationwide, similar incidents have been reported in other states, including a chaotic meetup at a mall in Long Island and disruptions at a theme park in Virginia.
Authorities are investigating the organizers behind these meetups and are considering measures to prevent future occurrences.
Law enforcement agencies also emphasize the importance of parental supervision and awareness of their children’s social media activities.
As these trends continue, communities are grappling with balancing the freedoms of youth socialization with the need to maintain public safety and order.