[Fixit]

Brandi Ratliff, 18, who said she was a straight-A student at Waller High School and never had any problems with the law.

She's 18 years old.

She can be anywhere she chooses, so long as she is still in the United States of America.

[Former Proud Canadian]

You are right except the Kmart parking lot is private property. Obviously they had complained to the police about the gathering of young people and the police responded. Trespassing is a crime and Kmart was asserting its property rights.

[ErnBatavia]

called into the principal's office twice in elementary school for gossiping.

Several years ago, out here in Kalifornia, I read about a local guy who got arrested for "smirking" at a cop.

[Lancey Howard]

She can be anywhere she chooses, so long as she is still in the United States of America.

She better not loiter on my parking lot at 12:30 am.

[Robert A. Cook, PE]

Noooooooo.

There are 18-year old curfews in many places.

(Not that I want any of them, but the counties didn't get protests when they implemented them ....)

In any case, the business owners didn't want the tenagers "hanging" on the parking lot racing cars, drinking, and causing problems. Both real problems and perceived problems.

The teens were congregating to show off their cars and trucks..... As in that recent "speed"/"racing" flick.

[verity]

Tear gas would have been a nice touch!