The ACLU criticizes Lightfoot’s curfews for juveniles in Chicago.

As the mayor announced another additional curfew for young people, the American Civil Liberties Union of Chicago took aim at Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s proposed new limitations for children in the city.

“Curfews and prohibitions create group guilt for young people, whether they are there to enjoy the sights and sounds of downtown or for another reason,” the ACLU stated in a statement to ANC 7 on Monday. “The ambiguous description, which relies on an undefined’responsible adult,’ permitting young people to be present in the park, and the promise of tight enforcement will result in unwarranted stops and arrests, further straining ties between CPD and young people of color.”

The announcement comes on the same day that Lightfoot announced new limitations for kids in the city, including a 10 p.m. general weekend curfew in addition to the 6 p.m. public park curfew announced on Sunday.

“We have to stop sending young people to the graves,” Lightfoot stated during a press conference on Monday.

Lightfoot also stated that “Chicago police will exhaust all other measures before taking law enforcement steps,” an apparent reference to fears that the new guidelines may result in more unfavorable contact between juveniles and police.

A 17-year-old kid was detained in connection with the shooting, and police made numerous more minor arrests on Saturday, resulting in the seizure of multiple guns. The tragedy, according to Lightfoot, emphasizes the necessity for the city to take steps to safeguard young people, saying that curfews are not a new notion in the city.

“We’ve had a curfew in force since 1992,” Lightfoot remarked, adding that as a teenager, she knew to go home when the streetlights turned on. The mayor stated that the curfew of 11 p.m., which had been in effect for three decades, would be reduced to 10 p.m.

Lightfoot said that the great majority of young people who congregate downtown had no malicious intent and that many of those there for the shooting on Saturday was most likely simply wanted to “enjoy a lovely summer evening.”

However, the setting swiftly “devolved into chaos and violence,” a reality all too frequent in the metropolis.

“What having a pistol promises us is a catastrophe,” Lightfoot added. “Unfortunately, we see that all too often.”

The Chicago Police Department did not reply quickly to a request for comment on the ACLU’s enforcement concerns.