Over Thanksgiving weekend, the Metropolitan Police Department declared two temporary juvenile curfew zones in Navy Yard and the U Street corridor following several youth-related disruptions on Halloween.

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The curfew zones, which were in effect from 8 to 11 p.m., temporarily expanded the city’s existing juvenile curfew. MPD said the curfews are meant to curb disorderly behavior while keeping neighborhoods safe during high-traffic weekends.

 

The curfew zones cover high-traffic areas in Navy Yard and along the U Street corridor. In Navy Yard, the boundaries extend from Interstate 695 to the Anacostia River. In the U Street corridor, the zone stretches from V Street to T Street NW.

 

Earlier this summer, the D.C. Council passed the Juvenile Curfew Emergency Amendment Act of 2025, granting MPD the authority to restrict gatherings of people 18 or younger in public spaces during curfew hours unless they qualify for specific exemptions. A second emergency amendment took effect Nov. 7.

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MPD said the purpose of the juvenile curfew zones is not to detain youth but to prevent incidents before they occur. The department said the zones allow officers to redirect young people to services and have become an important tool for reducing disruptive behavior in busy neighborhoods.

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“These zones help us address disorderly behavior while keeping youth safe,” the department said in a statement.

Youth advocates paint a different picture. Kawanza Billy, senior youth advocacy and engagement manager at DC Action, said curfews are a “band-aid solution” that fail to address the root causes of youth gatherings.

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“Young people are choosing to gather,” Billy said. “The district no longer has affordable, free places for young people to go.”

 

According to MPD’s website, there has been an increase over time in the number of youths transferred to the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services. In fiscal year 2025, 133 youths were transferred to DYRS, the highest number since the city implemented the Enhanced Juvenile Curfew Enforcement Pilot.

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Billy said DC Action has received reports from youth who say they were stopped by police regardless of whether they were traveling alone or in groups. She said the curfews increase law enforcement interactions with Black and brown youth, who are disproportionately affected.

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Billy said addressing youth disruptions requires long-term investment, including guaranteed jobs, housing stability, mental health resources and safe spaces for young people.

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“They want to gather, they want to work, they want to build relationships,” Billy said. “Policy needs to support that.”

 

For now, emergency curfew zones remain active across the city. Officials and youth advocates agree on the goal of safer spaces for teens, even as they differ on how to achieve it.