PLYMOUTH — The Town of Plymouth has declared a State of Emergency and established a temporary juvenile curfew in its downtown area this weekend in response to an unauthorized gathering being promoted on social media under the name "Downtown Plymouth Takeover Pt. 1."

On Friday, Plymouth Mayor Crystal Davis signed the proclamation prohibiting anyone under the age of 18 from being in the downtown area between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. The curfew takes effect Friday, June 26, and runs through Monday, June 29, at 6 a.m.

In a joint statement, the Town of Plymouth, Davis and the Plymouth Police Department made clear the event will not happen.

"The Town of Plymouth, the Mayor, and the Plymouth Police Department are announcing that the event promoted as 'Downtown Plymouth Takeover Pt. 1' is cancelled," the statement reads. "Any attempt to organize or participate in this type of unauthorized gathering will not be tolerated."

Officials were direct about their view of such gatherings.

"These pop up events are unsafe, illegal, and disruptive to our community," the joint statement continued. "We are urging teenagers to stay away from this activity, and we are calling on parents and guardians to speak with their children and make sure they do not take part. If anyone chooses to move forward with this event or similar actions, there will be consequences under the law."

"Our responsibility is to keep Plymouth safe and orderly for all residents," the statement concluded.

While Plymouth's declaration stands on its own, similar unauthorized youth gatherings promoted through social media have drawn official responses elsewhere in eastern North Carolina. Greenville Mayor PJ Connelly signed his own Proclamation of Emergency on Thursday, enacting a curfew for minors in that city's downtown area over the same weekend in response to a comparable event.

Connelly took to social media with a pointed message to families ahead of the proclamation.

"I'm just going to say it: if you have a child under the age of 18 who is planning to attend a Teen Takeover downtown, I would strongly encourage you to tell them to stay home," he wrote.

The Greenville mayor directed his message at the broader community as well.

"We need parents, mentors, coaches, teachers, and family friends to step up and be positive role models who teach our young people right from wrong," Connelly wrote. "And before anyone says we simply need more things for kids to do, that is not an excuse for fighting, causing disturbances, or engaging in destructive behavior."

Greenville's curfew covers minors in the downtown area — defined by the Tar River to the north, Pitt Street to the west, Reade Street to the east, and Reade Circle to the south — from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Friday through Sunday, expiring at 6 a.m. on Monday, June 29th.

"The bottom line is simple: this is about safety — protecting our children, our residents, and everyone visiting our community," Connelly said. "Our law enforcement officers are fully prepared to respond as necessary to keep our community safe."

And this editor will say it — idle hands are the devil's tools.

Violations of Plymouth's curfew may result in legal consequences, officials warned. The proclamation expires at 6:00 a.m. Monday, June 29, 2026.