Denver Zoo to shut early on account of social media-inspired teenage ‘takeover’

The Denver Zoo will shut early on Saturday on account of a deliberate social-media impressed “takeover” of the zoo’s surrounding park by a big group of youngsters.

A spokesperson for the zoo advised NBC affiliate KUSA that it’ll open at 7:30 a.m. and shut at 1 p.m. as a result of gathering, which is being known as the “Metropolis Park Takeover” on-line.

An analogous occasion occurred within the metropolis final weekend, with lots of of youngsters descending on the Northfield Mall, inflicting some fights to interrupt out that concerned the response of regulation enforcement, KUSA reported.

It’s unclear if there’s a particular group organizing the occasions.

“We don’t know the precise nature of the occasion however we all know earlier occasions organized similarly have led to some disruption to native companies, injury, vandalism, issues like that,” zoo spokesperson Jake Kubie advised KUSA.

Kubie stated the early closure was a precaution for any disturbances.

“We don’t imagine we’re a goal of something. We haven’t acquired any data that implies that there’s gonna be any affect to us,” he stated. “We’re at all times leaning in the direction of warning over every part else.”

No arrests have been made and no property was broken on the occasion final weekend, KUSA reported. Nonetheless, there have been incidents of vandalism.

The Denver Police Division stated in an announcement that it’s conscious of the “takeover” occasions within the metropolis and “will plan accordingly to attempt to decrease the affect of those occasions.”

Kubie advised KUSA that the zoo is “ready.”

“Being a zoo — an 80-acre campus with 2,500 wild animals and virtually 2 million visitors coming in yearly — it’s our accountability to be ready for something that may occur,” he stated. “Fortuitously we haven’t had any incidents alongside these strains however we’re prepared for no matter could occur.”