Mike Males, Principal Investigator, YouthFacts.org| June 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n Over 100 officers of the\u00a0Houston Police Department<\/a>\u00a0\u201cbroke up what is being called a teen takeover” in the city\u2019s Discovery Green\u201d last weekend. \u201cOfficials said it took hours to clear as many as 600 teenagers from the downtown area\u2026 One teen is facing a charge for unlawful carry of a weapon\u201d (I thought it was a crime NOT to\u00a0possess a weapon in Texas<\/a>).<\/p>\n Also, \u201cfive others were arrested for trespassing.\u201d Trespassing? Houston government describes\u00a0Discovery Green<\/a>\u00a0\u201cas a village green for our city, a source of health and happiness for our citizens, and a window into the incredible diversity of arts, talents and traditions that enrich life in Houston\u2026 with hundreds of events a year\u201d by the Project for Public Spaces \u201cwhich are FREE and open to the public.\u201d<\/p>\n So, after spending \u201chours\u201d chasing 600 people around, the Houston PD arrested just 6, 5 on bogus nothing-charges. But, okay, teens, your bad. You should have secured your FREE, open-to-the-public event space at the city\u2019s \u201cvillage green\u201d to pursue \u201chealth and happiness\u201d guaranteed by the city\u2019s \u201cProject for Public Spaces.\u201d<\/p>\n Ha, ha, I\u2019m joking of course. Houston officialdom led by cops make it clear young people, especially in groups, especially when darkly pigmented (whisper that last part), are a feared, hated population not welcome in public spaces.<\/p>\n Just to nail down the point: \u201cPolice said their purpose was to prevent youths from joining other nearby venues, specifically the ongoing FIFA Fan Fest location.\u201d<\/p>\n Again, why? Like Discovery Green, The World Cup\u2019s\u00a0FIFA Fan Festival<\/a>\u00a0says it celebrates \u201cHouston\u2019s rich diversity\u2026 free of charge\u201d and \u201copen to everyone<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n The City of Houston needs a new comedy writer. The current one just keeps repeating the same unfunny joke over and over.<\/p>\n Teens are not remotely Houston\u2019s crime problem<\/strong><\/p>\n So far in 2026, the Houston Police Department has arrested 10,645 people on criminal charges, from violent to property to public order crimes. Here are their ages:<\/p>\n For all ages, 52% of Houston\u2019s arrestees are Black, and one-third are Hispanic. That means nearly all teens arrested are Nonwhite.<\/p>\n I know this is getting boring, but every city shows the same pattern: panic and mass officer response to \u201cteen takeovers\u201d even if less trouble is occurring than at similar grownup gatherings. Had Houston\u2019s mostly-teen crowd of hundreds actually joined the FIFA soccer celebrations, their conduct indicates they would have brought crime potential down.<\/p>\n They hardly could have caused worse trouble than New York City\u2019s grownup Knicks mobs. Unlike Houston,\u00a0New York City had real problems<\/a>\u00a0stemming from celebrations during the Knicks\u2019 winning NBA championship series, including at least one\u00a0fatal shooting<\/a>:<\/p>\n Imagine the body count if the Knicks had lost!<\/p>\n Removing tongue from cheek\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n All the above said, of course I don\u2019t advocate banning all public celebrations because a few people get out of hand, whether 63 adults in a crowd of tens of thousands, or one teenager in a crowd of 600.<\/p>\n What should be abolished are ageist, race-coded double standards. Note how differently police describe\u00a0problematic adult celebrations<\/a>\u00a0(\u201cThe NYPD wants New Yorkers to be able to enjoy these celebrations, but \u2026 large crowds of people \u2026engaged in incredibly reckless and dangerous behavior\u201d) versus the blanket\u00a0media and police condemnation<\/a>\u00a0of what they brand \u201cteen takeovers\u201d (\u201cDo not participate in this this\u2026 dangerous \u2018challenge\u2019 being presented to youths via social media\u2026 you can get hurt, other people can get hurt and you can be subject to arrest\u201d) even when objectively less troublesome.<\/p>\n My solution will probably offend both sides. Adults have to get over our reflexive fear and hostility toward youths in public, including dark-skinned youths, individually or in groups. Police, politicians, reporters, and \u201cexperts,\u201d pull your heads out of the past.<\/p>\nApparently, cops and the press (same thing) can brand a 99+% peaceful gathering of \u201cboth teens and adults\u201d as a \u201cteen takeover\u201d to justify busting it up.<\/h6>\n
\u00b7 29% are ages 30-39<\/h5>\n
\u00b7 28% are ages 20-29<\/h5>\n
\u00b7 19% are ages 40-49<\/h5>\n
\u00b7 10% are under age 20<\/h5>\n
\u00b7 9% are ages 50-59<\/h5>\n
\u00b7 5% are ages 60 and older.<\/h5>\n
Source:\u00a0FBI Crime Data Explorer<\/a>.<\/h5>\n
\u201cLarge fights broke out, people set off fireworks, climbed on light poles and scaffolding, and blocked traffic for hours, officials said. Five school buses were destroyed by people lighting fires, swinging bats and jumping on them, according to police\u2026 People in the crowd also took bats to five NYPD vehicles and jumped on them, shattering front and back windows, officials said. A number of personal vehicles were destroyed as well\u2026 Ten NYPD members were injured in the chaos, according to officials. One was punched in the face and another struck with a glass bottle.\u201d<\/h4>\n