Miami Beach extends curfew, shuts off streets to control crowds

MIAMI BEACH • Miami Beach officials voted to extend an 8pm curfew and emergency powers for up to three weeks to help control unruly and mostly maskless crowds that have converged on the party destination during spring break.

Thousands of people have packed the city's Art Deco Cultural District, causing bedlam and lawlessness in recent days when university students typically celebrate spring break, leading some businesses to close voluntarily out of concern for public safety.

Mayor Dan Gelber told an emergency meeting of the city commission that all manner of out-of-town and out-of-state visitors, not just college students, were filling the streets since Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Feb 26 called the state an "oasis of freedom" from coronavirus restrictions.

"It looked like a rock concert. All you could see was wall-to-wall people," interim city manager Raul Aguila told the commission.

"This is not a typical spring break crowd. These are individuals coming into the city... to engage in lawlessness and 'anything goes' party attitude," said Mr Aguila.

The city official said he noticed a surge last Friday night, and imposed emergency measures on Saturday. That included the authorities setting a curfew and closing streets in the area, citing in an emergency declaration "multiple fights, brawls, melees, and other public displays and disturbances of the peace".

Officials also restricted eastbound traffic on the three main causeways connecting the city with downtown Miami.

On Sunday, the commission agreed to grant Mr Aguila the authority to extend the measures for up to three more seven-day periods as needed, starting today.

Video clips and photos posted on social media showed thousands of spring breakers, many eager to let off steam after a year of Covid-19 lockdowns, packed together and dancing in the streets as police struggled to enforce the curfew.

Local media said it took police officers two hours to clear the area, and that at points, they fired pepperballs at the crowd. Video footage showed people stampeding to get away.

The Miami Beach Police Department did not respond to a request for comment.

Mr Gelber said the mass crowds gathered at a time when the surrounding county was experiencing 1,000 new Covid-19 infections each day, and with 50 to 100 people being hospitalised each day.

Many Miami Beach locals took to social media to blame out-of-towners for the chaos.

"Don't blame Miami for those crowds on South Beach. Nobody who is from Miami goes to South Beach," one Twitter user named Silas P. Silas wrote, eliciting approval from fellow residents.

Concerns over public safety prompted some businesses to close their doors voluntarily during what would normally be among their most profitable days of the year and after months of hardship caused by the pandemic.

The storied Clevelander South Beach hotel said it was halting its food and beverage operations until at least tomorrow to protect the safety of its staff and customers.

REUTERS