Miami Beach is trying to break away from
student spring break
, popularly known as
spring break
,
but it's still unclear whether spring breakers will take the hint.
After three straight years of spring break violence, Miami Beach officials are implementing month-long security measures to curb the chaos, including
nonresident parking restrictions
and the
closure of sidewalk cafes
on weekends. busy weekdays.
The city has warned visitors that they may encounter
curfews
, beach bag searches, early beach closures,
breathalyzer checkpoints
, and arrests for drug possession and violence.
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday that 45 state law enforcement officers will also be deployed to the city to bolster police.
But business owners in the world-famous
South Beach
neighborhood now
fear losing money
during one of the busiest times of the year, and civil rights advocates say the restrictions
are an overreaction
to large crowds of black people.
Governor Ron DeSantis announced that state law enforcement officers will be deployed to reinforce police.
Photo: AP
Many of the city's restrictions are not new, but in previous years they were instituted as emergency measures during this
unofficial holiday,
not measures implemented in advance.
“The status quo and what we have seen in recent years is simply not acceptable or tolerable,” said Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner.
Meiner noted that
the crowds have become unmanageable
despite a heavy police presence.
He added that the city, which is located on an island across the bay from Miami, can only accommodate a limited number of people, and that capacity has often exceeded what is safe for both visitors and residents. during the holidays.
DeSantis said at a news conference in Miami Beach that
Florida will crack down
on anyone who violates the law during spring break.
Police officers tour South Beach, in Miami.
Photo: AP
“Florida is a very welcoming state.
We welcome people to come and have a good time.
What we do not welcome
is criminal activity
.
What we do not welcome is chaos and people who want to wreak havoc on our communities,” she highlighted.
Most of the spring break activity
centers on a ten-block stretch of Ocean Drive
known for its art deco hotels, restaurants and nightclubs.
David Wallack, owner of Mango's Tropical Café, said Miami Beach has always thrived on partying, and cracking down on visitor access will turn the vibrant, eclectic city into
a retirement community.
"I think we need to create something big, another big event in March because
March has fallen off the cliff
," Wallack said.
Most of the spring break activity is centered on a ten-block stretch of Ocean Drive.
Photo: AP
Wallack and others propose
a large music festival
during the third week of spring break - when unruly, idle crowds
tend
to reach a climax - in the hope that attendees will disperse the aimlessly wandering crowds.
Meiner said the city has spent millions of dollars on concerts and other events in the past with little success in mitigating violence.
He added that businesses are hurt when violent mobs gathering along Ocean Drive force them to close, and that the people primarily causing the problems don't spend money in the city anyway.
"They don't stay in hotels," Meiner said.
"They don't go to our stores."
Some civil rights advocates, however, believe
the restrictions are racially motivated.
Unruly crowds with nothing to do on Ocean Drive during Spring Break.
Photo: AP
South Beach became popular with black tourists
about two decades ago when promoters organized Urban Beach Week over Memorial Day weekend.
Many local residents complain about violence and other crimes associated with the event, which has led to an increased police presence.
But the event's popularity correlates with
an increase in black tourism throughout the year.
Stephen Hunter Johnson, an attorney and member of Miami-Dade's Black Affairs Advisory Board, said city officials are only cracking down because many of the visitors are black.
"Everyone loves the idea of having the freedom to not have the government meddle in your life," Johnson said.
“But surprisingly, if the government messes with black people,
everyone is fine with it
.”
South Beach became popular with black tourists about two decades ago.
Photo: AP
The mayor of Miami Beach rejects the idea that the city's measures have anything to do with race.
"I have a moral obligation to make people safe, and right now, there is no safety," Meiner said.
In the Florida Panhandle, Panama City Beach, the popular spring break destination, has seen
a similar spike in violent crime
, but Police Chief Eusebio Talamantez attributes it to people taking advantage of the environment, not college students from vacation.
Parties that end in shootings
“When you think about spring break, you might think about vacation, college student vacation, maybe some fights and some games to see who can drink the most alcohol,” Talamantez said.
"But
that has evolved into shootings
, mass riots, rapes and homicides."
An area of Ocean Drive cordoned off due to crime.
Photo: AP
Violence in Panama City Beach came to a head in 2015 when a shooting at a house party
left seven people injured
.
The city subsequently
banned alcohol on the beach
and cracked down heavily on unauthorized events, among other things.
Local businesses sued the city later that year, alleging that the new rules unfairly targeted events popular with black visitors, but the lawsuit was dropped several months later.
Talamantez said the measures had some success, but a violent hurricane in late 2018 and COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 limited the city's ability to manage crowds once pandemic restrictions were lifted, causing a resurgence of violence.
Ocean Drive overflowed last March.
Photo: AP
However, a new round of crackdowns in 2023
led to a 44% reduction in crime
, and the city is imposing similar rules this year.
Talamantez said he doubts that anything Miami Beach does is stricter than Panama City Beach's measures.
“We are simply trying to create a climate that says loud and clear in bold capital letters that we are
a municipality of law and order
,” Talamantez explained.
"And law and order doesn't go away just because you're on spring break."
Translation: Elisa Carnelli