Chicago City Wire

Chicago 15th Ward Alderman Ray Lopez, a candidate for the 4th Congressional District, is emphasizing the importance of common sense and holding individuals accountable for their actions after a series of “teen takeovers” throughout the summer of 2023.

Lopez has proposed an ordinance that could fine parents for their children’s involvement in illegal activities seeks to encourage responsible parenting and bring common-sense solutions to societal issues, reflecting his approach to politics and governance.

“Did you catch me in the New York Post, today?” Lopez said on Facebook.

“Common sense doesn’t have to be extreme or even partisan. Common sense is knowing right from wrong. Period.”

“As your next Congressman, I’ll fight to bring common sense solutions back to Washington, DC, and hold criminal behavior like this, nationwide, accountable!”

The New York Post article Lopez linked to detailed his proposal of an ordinance that could fine parents up to $5,000 for the actions of their “out of control” children, particularly related to street takeovers and other illegal activities. Lopez’s proposed ordinance, introduced after a street takeover incident involving teenagers, aims to hold parents accountable for their children’s actions and encourage them to seek family counseling to improve their behavior. The fines would range from $1,000 to $5,000, covering offenses like underage drinking, curfew violations, and street takeovers, making legal guardians responsible for their children’s activities.

The move by Lopez came after nearly half of year of police battling children in the streets of Chicago on so-called “teen takeovers.” After the first such gathering in April Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson asked Illinoisans to absolve those responsible for the mob violence that devastated Chicago over the past two weekends.

“It is not constructive to demonize youth who have otherwise been starved of opportunities in their own communities,” Johnson said in a statement at the time.

His comments were echoed by others in the BLM camp of the Democrat party.

Over two incidents on Friday, April 21, and Saturday, April 22 as many as 1,000 teens flooded into parts of Chicago and torched cars, smashed windows, and attacked people. Three were shot during the two days of mob violence.

In one video a group is shown cornering a man and woman and then brutally beating them.

“Victims of violent Chicago ‘Teen Takeover’ attack (video below) speak out, reveal that no arrests have been made. The victims stated that the attack was completely unprovoked and unexpected. ‘Everything went crazy… They said they were going to kill us…’ Chicago is only going to get worse,” Collin Rugg, Co-Owner of Trending Politics, said on X.