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Towson Town Center

Teenagers in Towson may need a couple more weeks to adjust to their mall’s new youth supervision requirements.

A new evening curfew went into effect at Towson Town Center this past Friday. Mall staff collectively turned away more than 400 teens and children at the doors on Friday and Saturday nights without any further incidents, The Baltimore Sun reports.

Many of the young guests who were not permitted inside were aware of the policy when they showed up, mall general manager Lisa Bisenius told The Sun.

Per the rule changes, guests age 17 or younger who want to go to Towson Town Center from 5 p.m. until closing on Fridays and Saturdays must be accompanied by an adult who is at least 21 years old. Security guards stationed at the mall’s entrances are checking for proof of age and handing out wristbands to patrons old enough to be there without a chaperone.

Bisenius has not yet responded to a request for comment.

Some leaders have been calling for such a curfew at Towson Town Center due to unruly behavior by young patrons, WBAL-TV reports. Last December, County Councilman David Marks said the mall needed to revisit its supervision policy days after at least one police officer there was hit with a rock during an altercation with a group of teens.

Nearly nine months later, he has his wish. Towson Town Center has joined other area venues with similar weekend supervision requirements, including The Avenue at White Marsh.

Some have raised concerns that the policy discriminates against young people, particularly those of color. The Maryland Commission on Civil Rights, which investigates civil rights complaints from around the state, plans to meet with mall management regarding those concerns this week, The Sun reports.

The commission has not opened a formal investigation of the policy.

The mall has dubbed the new rules “Parental Guidance Required.” Those who want to read the full policy can click here.