By Nicole Sanchez, Staff Writer
On March 26, officials in Miami Beach declared a state of emergency as massive crowds of spring breakers descended on the Florida city causing chaos, including the shooting deaths of two people.
Alina Hudak, the city manager, signed the emergency declaration on Wednesday. This has allowed officials to impose measures to protect the health and safety of persons and property. The emergency declaration is in effect through Monday, March 27. This declaration came after Miami Beach issued a weekend long curfew earlier this month which the city chose not to extend. Miami has a population of 90,000 residents, but it has become an international tourist destination.
Since spring break season started in the beginning of March, Miami Beach has already recorded four arrests for assault and three arrests for battery. There have also been seven arrests for robbery, 20 arrests for carrying a concealed firearm and 37 felony drug arrests.
“I live in Florida, and 10 out of the 12 months of living there it is truly the best, but those two months of spring break are dreadful,” senior Florida Atlantic University nursing major Adrianna Ruiz said. “Florida is beautiful and I understand why people travel here. It’s warm weather all around, but it’s my home and seeing strangers trash it is so sad. I wouldn’t come to your house and trash the place. It’s just respect.”
Not only have there been arrests but there have been two deadly shootings. The friday night shooting had one male victim killed and another seriously injured, sending crowds scrambling in fear from restaurants and clubs into the streets as gunshots rang out. Police detained one person at the scene and found four firearms.
This led to the city of Miami mandating a curfew. The curfew would be from 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, March 13 until 6 a.m. on Monday, March 20, with an additional curfew of Thursday, March 23 through Monday, March 27. The curfew mainly affects South Beach, the most popular party location for spring breakers.
Under the curfew, people must leave businesses before midnight. Hotels can operate only in service to their guests. The city said restaurants can stay open only for delivery and the curfew won’t apply to residents, people going to and from work, emergency services and hotel guests. Some roads will be closed off and arriving hotel guests may have to show proof of their reservations.
The city of Miami is considering ending Spring Break after all the chaos occurring.
“Later in the night and people are drinking and maybe getting high there’s another whole set of issues, and I don’t know that we could program that. We just have to close up businesses. If we really want to end spring break you have to have a curfew so people will go somewhere else,” Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber said.
“This Spring Break, I was debating if I wanted to go back to Miami or go up north to Orlando and I’m very glad I went to Orando instead,” senior finance major Elijah Scout said. “I wanted to go to Miami because it’s Miami, it’s beautiful, but after seeing what was happening on the news, it’s just too rowdy for me. I don’t think I would have been able to enjoy it as much as I would’ve liked to.”
The Miami Beach City Council has come up with safety proposals for next year so no one will see or go through another mayhem. Some of the proposals are, securing the perimeter on ocean drive, having private ticketed events, closing the causeway and ending spring break entirely.
Spring breakers travel to the sunshine to spend days on the beach and party the night away, but officials are wondering when it will not lead to violence, and become fun and safe for residents again.
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