Fayetteville City Council to discuss youth curfew after residents protest proposal

Fayetteville residents gathered at City Hall Monday to protest a proposed curfew for minors in the city.

The Fayetteville City Council is considering a city-wide curfew for adolescents in the city. The curfews rules would be require:

• Anyone 18 or younger to be off the streets from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. Monday through Friday; 1 a.m. 5 a.m. Saturday through Sunday.
• Anyone 16 or younger to be off the streets from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday through Sunday.
• Any students suspended from school to be off the streets from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on school days

Parents or guardians must accompany minors if they are out during those hours. Minors found violating the curfew can be charged with a misdemeanor, and their parents could be fined $100.

Opponents of the measure say it will lead to more distrust between Black and brown people and the Fayetteville Police Department and create a "de-facto stop and frisk."

Angela Tatum Malloy, who was outside city hall protesting the measure, said she allows her children to go on walks at night and exercise in the early morning. She worries that joy will be taken from them as a result of the curfew.

"I have children and they enjoy being out," she said. "Night time is the best time. I don't want that love and joy that they feel to be criminalized."

In their statement sent to WRAL News before Monday night's protest, organizers of the protest cited a WRAL report saying juvenile curfews are ineffective at reducing crime and victimization. The group also said the curfew contains "a truancy clause that would empower police to stop anyone who looks underage during public school hours."

Protestors went inside the meeting as lawmakers discussed the proposed measure. City Council decided to hold a special meeting to discuss the curfew ordinance further instead of voting on the proposal.

Protestors agreed with lawmakers that something has to change to curb violence in the city, but said a mandatory youth curfew is not the answer.

"Ask and talk to the young people and see how they fell,' said Iyanna Williams, another protestor. "See what they would want."

The special meeting will take place Monday, September 18. During that meeting, City Council will discuss whether they can modify the ordinance or abandon it all together.