Mall takeover
Unlawful gathering at malls
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A mall takeover or teen takeover is an event in which people unlawfully gather in a public area, such as a mall, market, or park for the purpose of posting about it on social media.[1][2] The term "mall takeover" emerged in February 2026 at malls in major United States metropolitan areas, like the Cumberland Mall in Atlanta, Georgia;[3] the Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream, New York;[4], the Short Pump Town Center in Henrico County, Virginia.[5] and the Northshore Mall in Peabody, Massachusetts.[6] Some of these events, such as the one at the Northshore Mall, were stopped before they could take place, while others were stopped after incidents occurred.[7] The term "teen takeover" precedes it, coming from the summer of 2019 as a reaction to more violent events in Chicago, attributed to events organized by social media flyers.[8][9] Curfews were met with calls for more youth advocacy, from groups such as from BUILD on the West Side of Chicago.[10]
