After hundreds of teenagers and young adults descended on the Loop in downtown Chicago over the weekend, destroying cars and brawling in the streets, mayor-elect Brandon Johnson cautioned against “demonizing” the vandals.

It “is not constructive to demonize youth who have otherwise been starved of opportunities in their own communities,” Johnson said in a statement released on Sunday.

“Our city must work together to create spaces for youth to gather safely and responsibly, under adult guidance and supervision, to ensure that every part of our city remains welcome for both residents and visitors.”

Over the weekend, two male teenagers were shot amid the chaos as local law enforcement arrested nine adults and six juveniles, with charges ranging from unlawful use of a weapon and possession of a stolen vehicle to reckless conduct.

While Johnson, a former Cook County commissioner, deflected attention from the violence and misbehavior, Chicago’s sitting mayor, Lori Lightfoot, was unswerving in her condemnation of “reckless, disrespectful and unlawful behavior.”