To tell off teenagers in a shopping centre?

[Whatamidoinhere]

I'm a bit shaken so excuse me if I seem like I'm rambling. I was in a shopping centre this morning with my 2 year old. Saw a group of loud kids, no big deal. There were 6 of them. 3 of them looked about 14 years old, 1 looked a bit younger and 2 of them much younger I'd say 8/9 years old. One of the older ones kept smacking the youngest on his head multiple times really hard you could year it from a far. People walking around seemed shocked as well. The younger one was crying. The older one caught him from behind his back and kept smacking his head/slapping his face while the rest of the teenagers were laughing. I was in utter shock, and my fight or flight kicked in. I went to the one who was hitting and yelled "stop, stop, don't you ever hit anyone like that ever again". He came and stood up very close to my face it was intimidating, but I stood still and looked him in the eye because I didn't want him to feel my fear. He kept shouting in my face "f off who do you think you are" and a myriad of mouth fulls before they all stormed off laughing and swearing at me. I'm Muslim and wear the hijab so they didn't miss the chance to make fun of it as well. The small one who was being hit walked with them as if nothing happened. The thing is the shopping centre was full of people walking by and everyone seemed to be watching without a word. I'm feeling shook and humiliated. AIBU?

Gosh....no way would I have done what you did. They could have had knives, or even a gun. Who knows ? My priority would have been my child. I would have called the police, got a nearby shop to call security and (possibly) taken photographs if I could do so without calling attention to myself and my child

Being home educated doesn't mean that you are "at risk"

Actually, much as home educators like to deny it, statistically it does.

Nothing similar but teenagers messing around on an escalator behind us trying to push past. My husband turned round and wait to them as we have small children on here. I was scared because i thought what if they push him and we all fall down. But at the same time it was dangerous to move our kids to the side.

we didn’t get a reaction - they did stop.

you were very brave OP. Echo a PP the police also need to be told. that poor little boy. Last night we went out for a quick tea and there were teenagers and younger kids in the shopping centre. In my day there was the YMCA and other youth drop ins. No where for kids to hang around nowadays. So they pick shopping centres. There used to be youth workers kind of supervising. Games to play, sofas to sit on. No such facilities in our local area.

I stand corrected YMCA does still exist just not in our area.

Very brave! I’d have called security - there’s always security in a shopping centre

I’d like to think I’d do the same if I was in that situation but to be honest I don’t think I’d be brave enough. I think you’re so courageous OP, you shouldn’t be embarrassed, you should be proud of yourself

I would never ever have put my 2 year old at risk, as you did Op

i would have immediately gone to security

All that comes to mind is James Bulger and I think I would have done the same, I would always speak up then worry afterwards like you OP.

Multiple people saw James crying and not happy with the older boys and could have prevented his murder. They now have to live with that for the rest of their lives.

You did nothing wrong OP, we need to be more like this. The only thing is now we worry about being beaten up or stabbed ourselves for speaking up.

No but be prepared to be stabbed these days.

I was just reading about the case of Ian Kirwan who was stabbed to death outside an Asda after confronting a group of teenage boys in similar fashion. His murderer was just 14 years old.

I definitely wouldn't just walk on by and would report it to security or the police. But you have to look out for yourself as well in these scenarios.

YANBU for taking action and noticing and caring.
BUT you put yourself in danger. Bravery unfortunately doesn’t always work. Use the systems in place, ie security/ police.

I’ve stepped in twice in similar circumstances, mainly because I’m old enough to remember James bulger.
both times I’ve had the opposite of thanks.

my family are genuinely concerned I’m going to get stabbed one day. I’m always amazed how people walk past.
selfishly you have to do what you have to do to sleep at night. I second the suggestion of reporting this somewhere. That poor kid. Sounds ripe for county lines

Sometimes a woman getting involved diffuses the situation better than a man.

Thinking about this I was in a shop and a boy was hiding from someone with a knife, it was all women who protected the boy. The men carried on their day.
women talked the knife owner down, women diffused the situation and protected the child until his mum came.

This ^

Well Done OP. You defintely done the right thing.

You're a hero OP. Wish there were more like you.

ZOMBIE

Agree.

Only last week a 53yo man was fatally stabbed by a 14yo after challenging their bad behaviour in a shopping centre. I think this is actually one situation where being male might've been worse as they'd perceive it as more of a threat.

If it was my son I would be very grateful to you. You did put yourself in a vulnerable position though I'm not surprised you're shaken up.