A mall takeover or teen takeover is an event in which people unlawfully gather in a public area, such as a mall, market, or park, with the slapdash organization of such takeovers taking place over social media.
The term "mall takeover" emerged in February 2026 at malls in major United States metropolitan areas, like the Cumberland Mall in Atlanta, Georgia; the Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream, New York;, the Short Pump Town Center in Henrico County, Virginia. and the Northshore Mall in Peabody, Massachusetts. Such takeovers have led to violence and arrests, such as at Bayshore Mall in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, when youth were filmed fighting one another and 13 eventually were arrested following a large police response on March 29, 2026.
The term "teen takeover" precedes "mall takeover," coming from the summer of 2019 as a reaction to more violent events in Chicago, attributed to events organized by social media flyers.
Some of these events, such as the one at the Northshore Mall, were stopped before they could take place, while others were stopped after incidents occurred. Curfews were met with calls for more youth advocacy, from groups such as from BUILD on the West Side of Chicago.
In March 2026, law enforcement in Atlanta established curfew from 11 P.M. to 6 A.M. between Sunday and Thursday with a weekend curfew from 12 A.M. to 6 A.M. between Friday and Saturday for people under the age of 18 years.