Miami Beach – Source: GIORGIO VIERA / Getty
Despite the Miami Beach ‘Break Up With Spring Break’ campaign over 250 Spring Breakers and counting have been arrested in March.
Before the 2024 Spring Break season got underway Miami Beach launched its “Break Up With Spring Break” campaign. In recent years crime has become almost uncontrollable for the city and the campaign was an attempt to deter tourists and alert them of changes. Tourists were told they could expect doubled prices for parking, towing, random bag checks, and strict enforcement of local and state drug laws. Also, the city-mandated curfew immediately created friction between the city and several business owners.
According to CBS News, the new midnight curfew prompted several nightclubs to sue the city alleging the restriction is hurting business.
“We have implemented the strictest measures ever to protect life and property from stampedes, the shootings, the stabbings, we’ve seen in past years,” he told CBS News Miami’s Peter D’Oench.
“In lost revenue… up to half a million dollars this weekend,” one frustrated owner told D’Oench. Despite their best legal efforts nightclub owners came up short and their motion to end the curfew was dismissed. The curfew hasn’t done much to contain the issues facing Miami Beach PD during spring break according to KATV.
Reportedly Miami Beach Police have arrested 274 people and counting on various charges since March 1. Allegedly the numbers from this time last year show around 297 arrests had occurred. For those keeping count the new rules and campaigns have only provided an 8% decrease in crime currently with two weeks left in March.
