Miami Beach, Florida, declared a state of emergency on Saturday due to concern over the large crowds of spring revelers gathering in the city.
Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber (D) said during a Press conference On Saturday, new measures will be implemented that are “essentially aimed at reducing the number of people” who come to the area.
Gelber announced a curfew at 8 pm in the entertainment district and an eastbound traffic restriction on city sidewalks that will only be accessible to residents and hotel guests.
The measures take effect at 9 pm on Saturday, and will be valid for 72 hours. Gelber said he would hold an emergency meeting with the City Commission on Sunday to address the measures.
The city subsequently posted the emergency request on its Twitter account. According to the order, these actions are different from those that the city has been carrying out to combat COVID-19.
The city of Miami Beach announces the 8 pm curfew in the high-impact zone starting tonight – authorities also impose additional emergency measures on spring break pic.twitter.com/3lmt3FsbJw
– #MaskUpMiamiBeach (@MiamiBeachNews) March 20, 2021
The news comes at a time when photos of the area show crowds of people who flocked to the city and gathered on its beaches, ignoring the COVID-19 protocols.
Miami Beach’s acting mayor, Raul Aguila, said on Saturday that he had received emails from companies that voluntarily closed or did not want to open due to the crowds.
The state of emergency marks a escalating point in the problem after reports of turbulent breakers this month.
Gelber told CBS News that hundreds of spring breakers were arrested for ignoring the city’s coronavirus guidelines and that police officers were injured trying to deal with the crowd.
“If you’re coming here because you think anything goes, you’re going to have a terrible time. We will arrest you. We made hundreds and hundreds of arrests, ”said Gelber at the time.
The police had to disperse a crowd of about 200 spring breakers who were “undisciplined” and surrounded the police by an intersection throwing pepper balls. The Miami Beach Police Department said at the time that several people were arrested and two officers were injured.
According NBC News affiliate in south florida, police had to use pepper balls on Friday again to disperse a crowd after a fight broke out in a restaurant.
“At night, there is no doubt that it becomes a place that seems a little out of control or very out of control,” said Gelber on Saturday. “Sometimes, you see things that you realize shouldn’t happen and that no community should endure.”
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