We. Are. Peoria (Area)

PEORIA — A fight at Northwoods Mall the day after Christmas escalated into 200 juveniles and adults on both shopping levels, forcing Peoria police to deploy pepper balls and close down the mall.

"Groups of kids got unruly and started to fight," Peoria Police spokesman Amy Dotson said Sunday. "What started as 50 kids and some adults escalated as more carloads of people showed up. It reached about 200 and fights were ongoing on both levels of the mall.

"At that point, officers fired pepper balls into the ground to disperse the crowd and get the skirmishes under control."

Dotson said there were multiple arrests, but all were juveniles who were later released to their parents.

There was one juvenile transported to a hospital as a precaution, with a minor injury suffered while running through the crowd.

The fights began at 5:42 p.m. on Saturday and lasted for about an hour. Police closed the mall down after that for the rest of the night.

Northwoods Mall reopened for business on Sunday.

Police opened a substation at the mall in 2018.

https://www.pjstar.com/story/news/2020/ ... 3pI64wzp34

Any word on what they were peacefully protesting?

Police were able to get the initial fighting under control. The problem is while that was happening, more unruly folks showed up. Social media instigator, anyone?

Here is more info, from the Peoria Police Department Facebook page:

"Northwoods Mall Incident
PPD Incident #20-26691
In response to numerous requests for information regarding an incident at Northwoods Mall, 2200 West War Memorial Drive, on Saturday, December 26, 2020, the following release is being issued.
Preliminary information was previously released. After further review and investigation, below is an update to the incident:
At approximately 5:42 pm, Northwoods Mall Security requested assistance from Peoria Police due to a large number of juvenile patrons loitering and engaging in disruptive behavior. Upon police arrival, the large number of juveniles were being escorted out of the mall at which time the juveniles began arguing/ shoving each other in the parking lot near the food court. While Officers were addressing the juveniles near the food court (Sterling street side), a fight broke out between juvenile females on the War Memorial side of the mall near Lane Bryant. Additional Officers responded to the fight.
While Officers broke up the arguments/ fights, Officers on scene reported that additional unruly individuals began arriving at the mall. The mall closed for approximately 15-20 minutes to prevent the groups from reentering the mall in order for the groups to be dispersed.
In reviewing video footage, the initial incident began with approximately 30 juveniles arguing/ shoving. Less than 10 of them engaged in a physical altercation (fight). As the incident progressed, the unruly crowd became aggressive towards officers and refused orders to disperse. Pepperballs were deployed, striking the ground, to aid in clearing the parking lot and to prevent the unruly individuals from escalating aggressiveness towards each other.
Four juveniles were detained, and one juvenile was arrested during the incident. The arrested juvenile was released to his parents at the scene. One minor injury was reported during the crowd dispersal.
No further information will be released regarding this incident due to juvenile involvement.