The City of Miami Beach declared a state of emergency after police cited health and safety concerns over “larger than expected spring break crowds,” the Florida city announced on Saturday.
Miami Beach Interim City Manager Raul Aguila made the declaration on Saturday, putting into effect emergency measures that include an 8 p.m. curfew starting Saturday night, several lane closures, and the suspension of sidewalk cafe operations in the high-impact zone starting at 7 p.m. The city also encouraged all businesses located within the high-impact zone to close temporarily.
The measures will stay in place for a period of up to 72 hours, unless the mayor or city commission determined otherwise.
“It’s spring break on Miami Beach, and we want you to remember to vacation responsibly, or you will be arrested,” Officer Ernesto Rodriguez cautioned in a public service announcement that the city included in its state of emergency declaration.
Local media shared a video of a crowd at South Beach at 8 p.m. despite the curfew.
This is what it looks like on #SouthBeach at 8:00pm, which is the time city leaders designated as the new curfew. So far, police have not intervened @wsvn #springbreak #miamibeach pic.twitter.com/7SvsoBZyl0
— Franklin White (@FranklinWSVN) March 21, 2021
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Violations of local restrictions have resulted in several arrests this month. There were nearly 150 arrests in Miami Beach between March 12 and March 14 when spring breakers turned on officers patrolling the streets. Approximately 120 of them were arrested on Friday, 42 of them for felonies with multiple guns, drugs, and cash confiscated by police.
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At least one school, the University of California, Davis, offered students $75 grants if they agreed not to travel over spring break.
Approximately 2 million Florida residents have contracted COVID-19, and more than 30,000 deaths statewide were attributed to the disease, according to the Johns Hopkins University coronavirus tracker.
