Massive fights involving teenage girls erupted during the opening night of a New Jersey carnival, forcing police to make multiple arrests and leading organizers to cancel the rest of the event.
Chaos at the Robelinig Carnival
The incidents occurred on Wednesday night at the Robelinig Carnival in Florence, New Jersey. According to Florence Police, several brawls broke out as the festival became overrun with troublemakers.
Police said the situation “overwhelmed” local officers, prompting assistance from more than a dozen nearby agencies, including the Burlington County Sheriff’s Office.
Arrests and Charges
Five people were arrested in connection with the violence:
- Two 14-year-old girls
- One 15-year-old girl
- One 16-year-old girl
- An unidentified 20-year-old
Charges included disorderly conduct for the teenagers, with one 14-year-old also charged with obstruction and failure to disperse. The 16-year-old faced an additional charge of resisting arrest.
During the efforts to break up the fights, one officer was injured and treated at a local hospital before being released.
Carnival Canceled
Due to the violent outbreak, officials decided to cancel the remaining three days of the four-day carnival. Florence police stated, “The safety of our community, our officers, and all carnival attendees is our top priority.”
Some attendees expressed frustration over the cancellation. One local father told CBS Philadelphia, “I don’t understand why one incident got to shut it down for everybody else,” after being forced to turn his children away on Thursday.
