Miami Beach Tells Spring Breakers to Stay Away in Viral Video
The City of Miami Beach recently initiated a “Spring Break Breakup” campaign and its video advertisement has gone completely viral.
For instance, Pop Crave reposted this one-minute video on X (formerly Twitter) and it alone has amassed 13.5 million views since March 3:
Several local, national, and even global news outlets have reported on the city government’s strong stance.
“Hey, we need to talk. This isn’t working anymore and it’s not us — it’s you,” states the intro of the video, which depicts a diverse cast of young people set in Miami Beach.
The script continues, “Our idea of a good time is relaxing on the beach, hitting up the spa, or checking out a new restaurant. You just want to get drunk in public and ignore laws.”
Several news headlines then appear on the screen, recalling tragedies that occurred in Miami Beach last spring.
Namely, as reported by the Associated Press, two separate shootings resulted in two fatalities and disorderly crowds which police struggled to control.
NBC Miami further detailed that in 2023, spring break in Miami Beach involved 488 arrests and the seizure of more than 100 firearms.
To help mitigate last season’s chaos, the City of Miami Beach implemented an overnight curfew. Dan Gelber, who was Miami Beach Mayor at the time, announced the restriction in an Associated Press video and added, “We don’t ask for spring break in our city. We don’t want spring break in our city.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis shared a similar sentiment at a news conference Tuesday, commenting, “Florida is a very welcoming state. We welcome people to come and have a good time. What we don’t welcome is criminal activity. What we don’t welcome is mayhem and people that want to wreak havoc on our communities.”
Rather than reactive curfews and police enforcement, DeSantis and Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner have established proactive measures to manage this year’s spring break crowd.
The campaign video affirms, “This March, you can expect things like curfews, bag checks, and restricted beach access, DUI checkpoints, $100 parking, and strong police enforcement for drug possession and violence.”
The City of Miami Beach website further details parking garage and lot closures, along with doubled non-resident towing rates which will cost violators up to $546. Additionally, businesses that rent low-speed vehicles like motorized scooters and e-bikes will be suspended from operating on March 7-10 and March 14-17.
Other temporary restrictions also apply, as do standard ordinances such as the prohibition of consuming alcohol, cannabis, and tobacco products on the beach.
Throughout March, several city departments will also be more heavily staffed. These include the Miami Beach Police, Fire Rescue, Ocean Rescue, Code Compliance, and Park Rangers.
State troopers can also be expected in Miami Beach, as well as other Florida jurisdictions. According to ClickOrlando.com, these include Panama City Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Key West, among other spring break hotspots.
DeSantis commented that in total, 17 law enforcement agencies throughout Florida requested state support and at least 140 troopers will be deployed in various cities and counties during March.
He concluded, “Florida, I’m proud to say, is honoring every single one of those requests.”
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