An altercation between young people in Birmingham has prompted parents and officials to call for stricter supervision of minors at public spaces/events.
Video obtained by WVTM 13 shows the aftermath of a fight at City Walk over the weekend following the city’s Spring festival at nearby Railroad Park.
One local mother shared her relief at not allowing her daughter to attend the event.
“First she asked could I bring her out to Railroad Park, then she asked could I take her to City Walk and something in my spirit just told me no like don’t take her, don’t let her go,” stated Birmingham parent Kamedra Palmore.
“I’m very happy, but I’m also sad about the other kids who were there that were affected by the violence that took place,” she continued.
Signs in and around City Walk encourage parents and guardians to accompany minors.
On Facebook, Mayor Woodfin released a statement saying, “If children are not accompanied by an adult, they will be asked to leave. If they refuse, Birmingham police will pick them up then you and your child will have to appear before a judge.”
The mayor continued, “Let’s make it plain, BPD and BJCC are not baby-sitters and they’re not here to raise your kids or teach them home training. Parents, know where your children are at all times and keep them accountable.”
Residents believe preventing fights among the youth is a community-wide responsibility.
“If someone applies to the Birmingham Police Department, I’m pretty sure babysitting is not in the description,” said Shante Wolfe, a Birmingham resident.
“Let’s figure out, you know, what’s the root of the problem, and fix it. I think that’s everybody’s responsibility, parents, BPD, and the mayor alike,” she continued.
Leaders of the BJCC said they are working on doing more to keep incidents like this from happening again.
“This is where I will kind of lean on something Mayor Woodfin said: City Walk is not the place to babysit,” said BJCC executive director Tad Snider.
Law enforcement responded to the scene within minutes and signs in and around the area state minors must be accompanied by adults.
Snider says more than 100 kids hung out at City Walk even after the fight was over.
“Obviously 11 o’clock on a Sunday night when most of those children had school the next day is not something that seems to make a lot of sense,” said Snider.
Snider says as the summer approaches, the BJCC will strictly enforce the polices at City Walk.
“Our rules are that children under the age of 18 should be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, and that’s what we’re going to continue to work towards enforcing, especially when we see a large gathering of kids just to make sure we can make sure the environment is enjoyed by everyone,” said Snider.
