Banned from the mall

Under 16? Don't come without an adult

From Correspondent Jeff Flock

BLOOMINGTON, Minnesota (CNN) -- The biggest shopping mall in the United States is shutting its doors to some of its best - - but sometimes troublesome -- customers. Responding to complaints about the thousands of young people who roam The Mall of America, the suburban Minneapolis shopping center will ban anyone under age 16 who isn't accompanied by an adult.

Kids Comments
Kids under 16, not the problem . . .		(15 sec./113K AIFF or WAV sound)
The policy won't solve the problem . . .		(14 sec./147K AIFF or WAV sound)

The policy takes effect Friday night and will apply to Friday and Saturday nights only.

"We've seen kids with weapons in here, we've had fights," said mall spokeswoman Teresa McFarland. The bad behavior the mall wants to curb also includes harassment, spitting, smoking and reckless running.

Critics call the policy discriminatory, even racist. Or, as one teenage girl simply put it: "It sucks." But McFarland said intense publicity has already reduced the number of problems.

Hoping to cushion the impact of the "bring your parents" policy, the mall is including weekend entertainment aimed at the under-16 crowd, she said. (13 sec./141K AIFF or WAV sound)

Tell us what you think! You said it...

© 1996 Cable News Network, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.

Terms under which this service is provided to you.