A large group of teens took over and "overwhelmed" a carnival in New Jersey, leading to several fights while police attempted to "restore order."
Township officials said in a Facebook statement that a group of unsupervised juveniles overwhelmed the annual Maple Shade Tigers Youth Football Carnival on May 1, sparking multiple fights and forcing police to step in.
"During the course of the evening, several fights broke out, and the event became overwhelmed with unsupervised juveniles," the officials said. "During the course of the evening, several fights broke out, and the event became overwhelmed with unsupervised juveniles. Officers on scene, along with event organizers, directed those involved and other unruly individuals to leave the carnival grounds in an attempt to restore order and maintain public safety."
"As a result of the incident, the carnival was closed for the remainder of the evening on Friday," they said.
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.
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.
"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.
