The Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance has rolled out a new chaperone requirement for minors in an attempt to quell disturbances. As of this weekend, visitors under the age of 18 are required to be accompanied by an adult age 21 or older after 3 p.m. on Fridays through Sundays. The decision comes in the wake of violent confrontations, which recently culminated in several teens being arrested and three individuals being injured, leading police to deploy riot gear to settle a brawl involving more than a thousand youths.
As reported by FOX 11, the Torrance Police struggled to regain control of the juvenile crowd during the altercation, which led to the shopping center's early closure. In the aftermath, the mall has implemented measures such as displaying signs, increasing security, and conducting screenings to ensure the new policy is followed. Long-time mall-goer Morris Brown, caught in the mayhem last December, supported the change. "I think it's good. It's too bad it had to come to that, but I think something has to be put in place to negate these kinds of issues happening where innocent bystanders like myself and other people are just victims of what's going on," Brown told FOX 11.
The update has been met with mixed reactions from the public. While some shoppers deem it necessary to maintain a family-friendly environment, others feel it unfairly punishes all teens, including those who previously followed the rules. The mall stated, "requiring adults to accompany youth during specific hours at the center will help us maintain a family-friendly shopping environment for all of our guests, including kids," according to FOX 11's interview with a representative.
Meanwhile, enforcement of the new policy raises concerns among tenants. Asaf Dadush, a longtime seller at the mall, welcomed the initiative but expressed worry about its practical implementation. "We’ve seen a lot of violence, stealing, cursing and a lot of situations that make you feel unsafe coming to the mall," while talking about enforcing the policy, Dadush told NBC Los Angeles. In response to "the community and community leaders," the mall has specified that proof of age may be required for those accompanying minors. Anyone who cannot provide suitable identification will be asked to leave.
Despite the opposing views, the Del Amo Fashion Center maintains that the new rule will remain in effect, limiting minors to mall visits only during prescribed hours on weekends unless they're with a responsible adult. Other days of the week remain unaffected by this policy, leaving teens and their friends to frequent the mall's offerings without restriction.