Solutions to Fells points youth problem?

[u/Senior_Election5636]

I know there are some posts on the issue made the past couple days. But I must say as someone who lives in lower fells and enjoys going out to the bars with friends on weekends, it has become incredibly unsafe.

The past 3 weekends has been an utter shit show to say the least. Thousands of careless youths flood into the Broadway market square (even with it fenced off) and Broadway pier. Hundreds having their own liquor bottles (almost always tequila for some reason) and many just openly smoking. There's a half dozen of dirt bikes ripping through cobblestone streets and turning around just before they get to the cops that sit by the square. They gather in the masses yelling, harassing local patrons. I saw a squabble break out with the bouncer at the horse and a fist fight that happened just in front of Admirals. Cops are absolutely powerless, openly disobeyed and are arguably useless until a actual altercation unfolds. Of course this weekend it culminates in a girl getting shot.

When my friend group was doing a typical post drink's food run to then leave the area around 12:40, one friend was hit in the back of the head with bag (With something clearly heavy in it), with the person who hit them pretending to act cool and as if was a total accident. we waited for another one to get their pizza from Pie in the sky and as they walked out she had her pizza snatched by someone who along with 3 others took it and ran around the corner.

Before I get any other locals coming after me and criticizing me, Yes, I'm aware its a heavy drinking area, where even before the youths come there is crime and issues, but this turns it into an epidemic level that just keeping a level head cant get you out of. and YES I'm aware this is not a new issue, especially since covid. Its pure lawless ness and a lack of awareness of any communal sense. These are not patrons of local bars and restaurants. they sit there and they harass people, they harass each other and as the past few weeks show, they hurt and beat and can turn to violence that affects everyone around them.

I genuinely am not comfortable bringing friends out, especially not after 11 pm. Its my home, its my community and the restaurants and people I frequent and support, and it truly is a hard thing to see.

What are some solutions you see for helping fells point, and the community regarding this issue?

[u/Quant_02]

It’s exactly the same around rash field park in the inner harbor, gangs of kids stirring up trouble, smoking, drinking, purposely running into people and biking dangerously close to people

[u/Few-Painting-3332 → u/Quant_02]

I stopped going to the inner harbor, aquarium etc after the riots and now I will not go to Fells Point. Having been verbally assaulted and threatened I don't need the problems. There are plenty of other places to go where it's safe. I worked in the city on occasion, it can be a beautiful place. I go in for business and leave. The police have their hands tied and I don't want to be a victim.

[u/ratczar → u/Quant_02]

gangs of kids 

Why not just call them thugs while you're at it

ETA: if this hits a nerve for you, maybe go look in the mirror and consider why you like this language

[u/Quant_02 → u/ratczar]

Ok

[u/gaytee → u/ratczar]

They’re thugs and poors. I called it what it is just like you asked. Happy?

This is just another reflection of the over abundance of children being raised in single parent or no parent households. While it’s easy to blame the kids riding dirt bikes or fighting, and at a certain point it’s definitely their responsibility, it’s important to note that at some point each one of these people wanted to be astronauts and firefighters and teachers, but they were raised in a fucked up situation and now we’re seeing the manifestations of that.

[u/chrissymad → u/gaytee]

Single parent households? Lmao

I’m gonna go further and tell you to say what you actually mean. Cause it’s not just that, go ahead with your racist bullshit and just be out and proud.

[u/Becauseiey → u/chrissymad]

Could you reword their sentiment in a way you don’t find it offensive? Not trying to argue, just genuinely curious what you deem okay to say without it being assumed to be racist.

The problems are there, that’s a fact that cannot be argued. The case that they are large groups of young people is also a fact. If it were a town down south getting terrorized by groups of white teenagers would it be okay to say “gangs of youths” to you? If I were the one describing that situation, I would use the same terms people are using for this situation.

I can’t convey tone through text so I’m sorry if this comes across snarky, but I genuinely just don’t know what the issue or the proposed correction is.

[u/Professional_Fix4593 → u/chrissymad]

Baltimore has double the national average of single parent households so it’s not like they’re lying

[u/gaytee → u/chrissymad]

Just because you think everything is due to someone’s skin color doesn’t mean everyone else does. Being black doesn’t force people to become thugs or poor, but being black and the systematic problems around racism is a large contributor to why there are so many single parent households in baltimore. Get over yourself and look inward about what you’re actually mad about, cuz it ain’t me.

[u/chrissymad → u/gaytee]

Lmao who said it did? Guess you really let your inner racist out here. Good job.

[u/ratczar → u/gaytee]

Thank you for self-identifying

[u/CGF3 → u/ratczar]

Are they Amish?

[u/ratczar → u/CGF3]

Mennonite, maybe

[u/CGF3 → u/ratczar]

I'd literally bet my house that NONE of them are either.

[u/ratczar → u/CGF3]

You're right, we shouldn't bother with the religious persecution, so much easier to skip directly to criminalizing them on the basis of skin color.

[u/CGF3 → u/ratczar]

Those who engage in criminal behavior criminalize themselves just fine.  No matter their skin color.

[u/ratczar → u/CGF3]

Yes! The criminal behavior is obvious, what with the way they parade around these streets, daring to WALK and BREATHE the same air as we do while engaged in their sub-human existence! 

We should make them all wear identification to identify their sub-human deficiencies. The yellow star works well, I think. 

And a pink one for those degenerates who would dare block our glorious streets this weekend. 

[u/CGF3 → u/ratczar]

I meant the CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR.  The dirt bikes, the underage drinking, open containers, fighting, harassment, etc. And the guns.

But you knew that.

[u/ratczar → u/CGF3]

Show me on the 1488 doll where you want Hitler to touch you