Teens urged to avoid disrupting Chicago's Bud Billiken Parade

CHICAGO - In an urgent call to action, organizers are imploring teenagers to refrain from attempting to take over the iconic Bud Billiken Parade.

Reports of social media plans detailing a potential "teen takeover" during Saturday's parade have surfaced, raising concerns about the event's safety.

This year, the Bud Billiken Parade marks its 94th anniversary, commemorating the start of the back-to-school season with a tradition deeply ingrained in the community.

DJ Phantom of the South Shore Drill Team emphasized the need for support to ensure the success of the day.

"We need every person that can support us about to make sure that this day is not defeated," he said.

SUBSCRIBE TO FOX 32 CHICAGO ON YOUTUBE

The teen takeover trend has led to several incidents of unruly behavior in Chicago this summer, both downtown and at the city's beaches.

Early Walker, CEO of I'm Telling, Don't Shoot, underlined that Chicago police are aware of the potential for disruptive behavior and have committed to reinforcing security measures to prevent any disruptions.

"They have assured us that they have no concerns and no one should be worried. No one should be concerned. They actually doubled down on security measures. We just want to make sure that parents are diligent, parents are aware of where their kids are, what their kids are doing," Walker said.

Myiti Sengstacke-Rice, Chicago Defender Charities President, and CEO expressed confidence in the parade's smooth proceedings.

"We feel very confident that we're gonna have a wonderful, peaceful day. That's what we plan to have. Everyone's excited about coming out."