Unaccompanied minors are now not allowed out and about at National Harbor in Prince George’s County, Maryland, from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays under a new county law created to help stop crime.

National Harbor businesses and residents requested the area be designated a special curfew zone under county law, the Prince George’s County Police Department posted on X.

That temporary curfew was imposed after around 800 juveniles wandered around the entertainment district smoking weed, fighting and shoplifting.

The county in June enacted a law letting businesses ask the police chief to create these zones, and the law took effect in August. 

Under the curfew starting Friday, minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, an adult 21 years or older authorized by the parent or guardian, or returning home by themselves from work, school, a religious event or another social association to be out in National Harbor, the police said.

Juveniles will be allowed in National Harbor during those hours if they’re on the sidewalk outside their or their neighbors’ homes provided that the neighbors didn’t file a complaint with police.

Parents and guardians of violators and businesses that let unaccompanied minors break the curfew rules are subject to a fine of up to $250 plus other costs.

The curfew zone law follows up on earlier emergency curfews, including one imposed by Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, Maryland Democrat, last April when she was still the Prince George’s county executive. 

“The curfew has been very successful. I’ve spoken to business owners and residents, and we have not had the major issues that we saw in the past,” Councilmember Edward Burroughs III, who proposed the curfew zone law, told Washington’s WUSA.

Under the new law, the curfew has to be renewed every six months. A National Harbor spokesperson told WJLA-TV that the curfew zone designation was recently renewed.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.