Anti-tobacco events for teens canceled after fight, crowd snarls downtown

Andy Tsubasa Field | Nashville Tennessean

A federally sponsored party encouraging teenagers to stay away from tobacco has been canceled at a Nashville venue after a fight at the event Saturday caused a commotion downtown, according to the facility's managers.

A fight broke out during "Too Turnt Saturdays: Nashville Summer Series," at the 12th & Porter concert venue. Hundreds of teenagers then moved up to a Broadway intersection, prompting police to block parts of it as they tried to disperse the crowd.

"Too Turnt Saturdays" is part of an event series held by the group Fresh Empire. The organization advocates for teens to have a tobacco-free lifestyle, according to its website.

"Their goal was to do outreach and keep kids from smoking and drinking and give them a safe place to come to," said Nathaniel Beaver, president of Infinity Events & Catering, which manages 12th & Porter. "Unfortunately, after that night, we had to tell them we are no longer going to be able to do the contract due to the bearing that it's putting on the neighborhood and traffic."

Crowd of teens snarls Nashville traffic Crowd of teens snarls Nashville traffic

Despite the cancellation of the events at 12th & Porter, Fresh Empire has two other events scheduled in other venues in Nashville.

The group is backed by federal agencies: The United States Food and Drug Administration and the department of health and human services are sponsors listed on Fresh Empire's website. The group's website states that it is holding similar events in eight other states across the country. The parties are private "teen events" that require an RSVP, according to a promotional poster.

Fresh Empire held three events at 12th & Porter in Nashville with two more scheduled for September and November, according to Beaver.

Sgt. Brian Petty, an officer on the scene Saturday, said that a crowd of teenagers milling around from the same event last month disrupted businesses and prompted police to intervene.

Teenage celebrities would co-host the group's events. Reginae Carter, Lil Wayne's daughter and former star of "Growing Up Hip Hop," promoted last weekend's party on her Facebook page.

The event took place on Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m. DJs performed live, and there were prizes and dance contests.

Beaver said that there was a Metro Police officer on site, with officers manning three police cars outside. Fourteen security staff, comprised of off-duty police officers, were also present, he said.

Beaver said his security reported to him that, soon before the event ended, a fight broke out between two groups of teenagers attending it.

According to Metro Police spokeswoman Kirsten Mumford, no arrests were made in the incident. Police also did not report any serious injuries.

Petty said that some teenagers ran up 12th Avenue to an intersection near 12th and Broadway. He said, at one point, as many as 400 to 500 teenagers could be seen lingering around the McDonald's and Exxon gas station, there. Many of them looked to be as young as 12 and others in their late teens.

At 9 p.m. at least six city police units, along with at least four Nashville fire vehicles, could be seen blocking 12th Avenue between McGavock Street and Broadway. Police also blocked a part of Broadway. Officers parked their cars, lights flashing and sirens blaring, in an attempt to break up the crowd.

According to Mumford, some out-of-county officers working nearby responded to the incident, including a state park ranger.

The roads reopened and the crowd had dispersed an hour and a half later.

Beaver said that Fresh Empire's cause interested him and he is disappointed that he felt he had to terminate his company's contract with the group.

"Just like a lot of things that are meant to be positive, this event turned into a negative when some of the attendees behaved in a manner which now means we can no longer do this event," he said.