By Matt Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis – Children under the age of 17 will soon need an adult escort at the Galleria Mall on Friday and Saturday evenings.
Shopping center managers announced the new policy Monday, but it will not go into effect until April 20.
The new rules follow two recent altercations involving young people.
There was a fistfight in November, and two weeks ago authorities broke up a group of about 100 rowdy teenagers.
However Galleria General Manager Earl Dorsett said the new policy was in the works before those incidents happened.
"Shoppers, merchants and community leaders we talked to felt we needed to look at a policy for Friday and Saturday nights to help our shopper-friendly environment," Dorsett said.
Dorsett said after 3 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, security officers will check IDs at mall entrances and give wristbands to people 17 and older.
Those under 17 must be with an adult who's at least 21.
The St. Louis Mills Mall in Hazelwood put a similar policy in place last year.