300 teens force shutdown of New Jersey carnival after TikTok-inspired meetup descends into chaos and spreads to nearby mall
Hundreds of teenagers shut down a New Jersey carnival after a TikTok meetup spun out of control and spread into a nearby mall, mirroring a similar teen rendezvous at another local mall that injured a cop last week.
The Woodbridge Police Department responded to an unruly horde of approximately 300 youths gathered at the Woodbridge Center Carnival around 9 p.m. Saturday, according to RLS Media.
The teens were supposedly rallied by a series of TikTok posts calling for an impromptu linkup at the carnival.
The carnival required anyone under the age of 18 be accompanied by a parent or guardian. All adult attendees were also required to show valid identification to be permitted entry, according to the carnival website.
But still, the crowd of youths at the carnival grew so unruly that Woodbridge police had to call on neighboring departments for backup, RLS reported.
Eventually, the chaos spread into the Woodbridge Center Mall, forcing many stores to lock up early and even shelter shoppers inside as the teens ran wild.
On Sunday, many of the carnival attendees posted video compilations of their time observing or participating in the havoc across Woodbridge.
'menlo first and now this wth,' one TikTok user commented.
'can we like, keep this in Jersey Gardens,' another added.
Some of the teenagers broke away from Woodbridge and started making their way towards the Menlo Park Mall in Edison — the site of the last hooligan meetup — on foot. Edison police turned up at the mall ahead of the group to ensure there were no repeats of last week's brawl, according to the local outlet.
Last Saturday, similar posts about a gathering at the Menlo Park Mall sparked a massive mob that resulted in the arrest of seven minors from nearby towns, including Woodbridge. The Woodbridge Center Mall, where the carnival was hosted, is a mere 7.5 miles away from the Menlo Park Mall.
Edison Mayor Sam Joshi called for increased security and even a curfew at the Menlo Park Mall in the wake of last week's melee — which left one cop with a fractured ankle. He hopes that the new regulations will be implemented in a few weeks, according to My Central Jersey.
Joshi also asserted that the parents should be held responsible for their children's actions, especially since some trekked from nearly an hour away in the dead of night for the meetup.
'Parents need to be focused on their kids, making sure they are not causing this type of rowdiness in other towns,' he said.
It's unclear if any participating youths were arrested following the carnival or if anyone was injured.
The Post reached out to the Woodbridge and Edison Police Departments for clarity.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Self-Proclaimed 'Best Friend' Of Barron Trump Brags About Calling ICE On Popular TikToker
MAGA Gen-Z influencer Bo Loudon says he was responsible for TikTok's most-followed creator, Khaby Lame, getting detained by Immigration and Customs enforcement, and he's threatening to go after other immigrants. 'We don't want celebrities using their status to abuse our system and take advantage of the things that we don't have access to,' Loudon, 18, said on Fox News. 'I can't say I'm done with Khaby; if there's other celebrities that are not in this country legally, I will investigate it and I will happily go after them as well. So it's not going to stop here, I don't think.' Lame, whose full name is Serigne Khabane Lame, 25, is an Italian citizen who was born in Senegal. He was placed in detention on June 6 at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas for immigration violations, an ICE spokesperson told HuffPost. ICE said Lame had overstayed the terms of his visa and voluntarily departed from the U.S. The agency did not confirm whether Loudon had played any part in Lame's detention, but the MAGA influencer went on X last week to tell his millions of followers that he had 'reported' the influencer as an 'illegal alien.' 'I want to look out for the little guys, the people that follow our laws, respect our country, appreciate it and its values and don't abuse the system,' Loudon told Dylan Page, known on TikTok as 'News Daddy,' on Wednesday's episode of Page's podcast. Lame, who once lived in a modest apartment in a small industrial town in Italy, rose to fame in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic when he turned to content-creating after losing his factory job, The New York Times reported in 2021. 'It's my face and my expressions which make people laugh,' Lame said. Lame, who had lived in Italy since age 1, said at the time that he was having trouble obtaining Italian citizenship due to the country's laws, and that his Senegalese passport made it tough to obtain a U.S. visa. 'I'm not a mayor, I'm no one. I can't change the laws,' Lame told the Times. 'Maybe I can change it with the popularity. With my influence,' he added with a smile. Lame became an Italian citizen in 2022. This year, he attended the Met Gala in New York City. Loudon is the son of former Missouri state Sen. John Loudon and former Women for Trump co-chair Dr. Gina Loudon, The Independent reports. He, much like other pro-Trump influencers, has gained a huge following of young conservative men. On Instagram, Loudon pinned a photo of himself with President Donald Trump and his son Barron, captioning it, 'Best Friend, Best President.' On Page's podcast, the MAGA influencer said he first discovered Lame had overstayed his visa through mutual friends and business partners and said he 'called some buddies in the administration' to quickly have the TikToker detained. 'I wish him the best of luck. I hope he's able to come back as a law-abiding citizen,' Loudon said. World's Most Popular TikTok Star Leaves The U.S. After Being Detained By ICE 'What The F**k...': Watch Joe Rogan And Trump's FBI Director React To Musk's Post Influencer Sues To Keep 3-Year-Old Son's Death Details Private After TikTok 'Frenzy'
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
TikTok Star Joshua Blackledge's Cause of Death at 16 Revealed
TikTok star Joshua Blackledge died at age 16 on March 18, 2025. Nearly three months later, his cause of death has been revealed Documents obtained by PEOPLE state that the teen influencer's body was discovered by a family member at his home in North Carolina Blackledge's girlfriend, Emmie Gillikin, has continued to pay tribute to the late creator with videos and photos celebrating their time togetherTeen influencer Joshua Blackledge's cause of death has been revealed nearly three months after the tragic news broke. The 16-year-old TikTok star died by suicide, PEOPLE can confirm. Documents from the North Carolina medical examiner's office state that his body was found by a family member at their home in Newport, N.C. Per the report obtained by PEOPLE, Blackledge died of a gunshot wound to his head. In addition to the weapon, a teddy bear, a note and a picture were discovered at the scene. No drug paraphernalia was present. The medical examiner documents include observations from Blackledge's family, who said he "exhibited behavioral changes' socially and academically in the year leading up to his death. The high school junior boasted over 1.1 million followers on TikTok. Blackledge's posts varied between lip-syncing clips, car content and videos taken with his friends and girlfriend, Emmie Gillikin. Noe-Brooks funeral home published an obituary detailing how Blackledge was honored with a "celebration of life" on March 23. Hundreds of his family, friends and online followers flocked to the funeral home site to share their condolences and mourn the creator in public messages. They also voiced their grief and shock in the comments section of his social media posts. Blackledge posted his final TikTok on March 14 — a video taken with friends posing by a white truck — and many viewers voiced their disbelief that he died so soon after posting. Blackledge's girlfriend, whom he mentioned in both his TikTok and Instagram bios, posted a number of tributes to the social media star after his death. She's continued to honor him with her posts over the past few months. On Saturday, June 7, Gillikin shared a photo of her late boyfriend on TikTok for what would've been their 11-month anniversary. "I wish you were here to be celebrating with me but I know you are up in heaven. I miss you more than anything, each day gets harder and harder but knowing one day I'll be up there with you makes things easier," she captioned the tribute. "Continue keeping me safe Josh I see you every single evening . I love you Josh don't ever forget that, can't wait to see you up there waiting for me." If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at 24/7. Read the original article on People
Buzz Feed
11 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
Viral Video: ICE Protester Confronting National Guard
By now, you've certainly seen some of the powerful (and oftentimes horrifying) images coming out of the anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles. In the face of continued ICE raids, escalation by law enforcement, and displays of police violence at protests, the people of LA continue to show up to defend the immigrant communities that truly define the city. One protester in particular has gone ultra-viral for his brave confrontation of a group of California National Guard officers stationed outside the Los Angeles VA Clinic. The clinic is part of the complex that houses the LA Federal Building and the Metropolitan Detention Center, one of the focal points of the protests. "You're tough with your assault rifles and your sticks," he starts out. "You should be standing here with us. You're on the wrong side of history." "We know you got a job to do," he says. "But you took an oath to the Constitution, not to the fascists in the White House." He goes on, "Think about what you're doing now. Think about what this means, coming into our community. Peaceful fucking community. People working their jobs." TKTKTK raid in garment district "They send in men in military fatigues. Weapons of war in our communities, and you stand here and you allow it," the protester says, pointing at the assembly of officers guarding the building. "I am sick and tired of it." "You should be sick and tired of it." He then asks, "You think any of these people in the White House sending you these commands give a fuck about you? Not one of them do." "They laugh at you. Our president laughs at you," he goes on. "He called you fools. He said the people who died overseas in the military were chumps. That's who you're defending right now." In the second clip in the video, the protester continues his impassioned confrontation. "Think about your place in history, ladies and gentlemen," he says as the camera pans to a crowd of soldiers in front of military tactical vehicles. The camera pans the scene of armed soldiers as he speaks to them. "Ask yourself when you wake up tomorrow. I don't know if you have kids. Ask yourself the future you want for your children. Is it this?" "You can answer me. Is it this? Do you feel good about this?" he asks. "You're tough behind your fucking masks and your fatigues with your weapons, but how do you feel on the inside?" "This is our fucking community," he shouts. "And we will fight for it if we have to." The original video alone has been viewed over 350,000 times, but it's been reposted by countless news outlets and social media users. COURIER posted it to their TikTok, where it currently has 3.4 million likes and a staggering 18 million views (and counting). As you can probably imagine, people were moved by the protester's courage and powerful words. A ton of people thought this was a display of true patriotism. Many thought he should be running for office right about now. This person said we need to hear more of this. "This is everything. The truth cannot hide," one commenter wrote. People were very moved. "That is bravery. Wow," someone said. And finally, someone gave all of us on the sidelines a great reminder: you can always be the hero. What do you think of his speech? Let me know in the comments.
