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MILWAUKEE, WI (WSAU) – The 2026 Wisconsin State Fair had an abrupt ending this year after police were called to break up multiple fights that involved dozens of participants.
According to the Milwaukee police department and videos posted online by onlookers at the fair, the fights broke out around 10 p.m. on Sunday, which led to security and police shutting down the section of the grounds known as “Spin City,” and police dispatch audio caught an officer requesting that the station send “anybody extra you have.”
An officer was punched while breaking up one of the fights, but no arrests have been reported.
This is the latest incident of what authorities in Milwaukee and across the country refer to as a “teen takeover,” which has previously resulted in violence, including fights at Milwaukee’s Moody Park and the Bayshore Mall in March, which resulted in gunfire and numerous arrests.
Milwaukee’s response to the takeovers has resulted in stricter enforcement of its curfew guidelines for minors under 17, which require minors to be off public property or accompanied by a guardian by 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; these hours shift to 11 p.m.
Wisconsin Republican Attorney General candidate Eric Toney replied to the now-viral video on X by saying, “This lawlessness is another example of why so many people are afraid to visit Milwaukee.” He also blamed the violence on current Attorney General Josh Kaul, saying, “Kaul’s silence and refusal to stand up to his own party’s anti-police sentiment is making Wisconsin less safe because he prioritizes personal politics over public safety.”
The Milwaukee Police Association has endorsed both Toney and Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany, stating that Tiffany “recognizes that supporting law enforcement isn’t just about budgets, it’s about morale, recruitment, and the ability to retain good officers in a profession that demands sacrifice.”
Teen takeovers have become a serious issue with law enforcement officials around the country, with U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro proposing punishing parents for their children’s criminal behavior and exploring the use of racketeering laws against organizers of the events. Cities such as Newport Beach, California, detained nearly 400 young adults after fights during the July 4th weekend turned violent after the city’s police chief reported that suspects had hurled “explosive mortars and other projectiles” at officers attempting to restore order.
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