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A New Jersey carnival descended into chaos when a large group of teenagers took control, leading to multiple altercations and forcing law enforcement to intervene in an attempt to restore peace.
According to a statement from township officials on Facebook, the annual Maple Shade Tigers Youth Football Carnival was disrupted on May 1 by unsupervised teens, resulting in several fights that necessitated police intervention.
“Throughout the evening, numerous fights erupted, and the event was overwhelmed by unsupervised juveniles,” the statement read. “Officers on the scene, in coordination with event organizers, directed those involved and other disorderly individuals to vacate the carnival grounds to reestablish order and ensure public safety.”
Due to the disturbances, officials decided to shut down the carnival for the remainder of Friday evening.
Authorities confirmed that several arrests were made following the incidents at the carnival.
Officials also canceled the carnival for May 2, citing the teen takeover.
Lt. Daniel O’Brien from the Maple Shade Police Department said the teens were trying to create confrontations with officers.
“They were cursing at police officers. They were clearly trying to provoke physical confrontations with cops,” O’Brien told ABC6.
Officials said teens were fighting at the event. (TikTok/@user6767677676767677)
Several teens were charged in the incident, according to the report.
O’Brien said parents should be more aware of what their children are doing.
“If your kid is leaving the house with a face mask to go to a carnival, I think that should be a sign that they might be getting themselves into trouble,” he said.
Police respond to a teen takeover at a New Jersey Carnival. (Tiktok/@favyoppppp)
“The safety of our community must remain our top priority. We appreciate the cooperation and understanding of the public as we continue to work together to maintain a safe environment for all,” township officials said.
Police increased monitoring of the carnival after a similar incident in 2025, adding surveillance cameras and a drone.