News/Commentary

Miami Beach declares state of emergency due to ‘out of control’ spring break crowds

March 20, 2023 | | Print Article

Explaining that his city feels “out of control” at times, Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber declared a state of emergency on Saturday due to unruly spring break crowds, announcing that an 8 p.m. curfew has been imposed for its entertainment district.

“At the end of the day, all the policing in the world isn’t going to stop something terrible from happening if it’s going to happen,” Gelber said during a press briefing. “Our city right now in this area has become a tinder, and we cannot have a policy of simply hoping that it’s not lit.”

The mayor took action after two deadly shootings over the weekend — shootings that took place despite an “unprecedented police presence.”

“This was not an easy decision to make,” interim City Manager Raul Aguila said at the briefing. “We are doing that to protect the public health and safety.”

“Most of you saw, if not covered, the crowds last night in the entertainment district numbering into the thousands,” he added. “As we hit the peak of the peak of spring break, we are quite simply overwhelmed in the entertainment district.”

In one scene making the rounds online, a lawless crowd is seen jumping on an occupied vehicle in the middle of the road:

Another angle of that incident appears to show a police officer looking on as the wilding takes place:

One of the two shootings was captured on video, with a suspect seen pulling out a handgun and opening fire at point-blank range at another man as he passed him on a busy sidewalk — Dontavious Polk, 24, was arrested in that shooting and charged with first-degree murder.

Warning: Extremely graphic content

In another scene, a fast-food restaurant is under siege by an out-of-control crowd:

Police had their hands full with disrespectful spring breakers who openly taunted them, as seen here:

Caution: Adult language

Here are other videos of the mayhem taking place in South Florida being shared on Twitter – viewer discretion advised:

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Tom Tillison
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