Miami Beach declares a state of emergency after recent spring break violence

NPR | By Jonathan Franklin

Published March 21, 2022 at 9:44 PM EDT

A police officer on an ATV patrols in Miami Beach, Fla.'s famed South Beach in March 2021. City of Miami Beach officials declared a state of emergency on Monday, and an upcoming curfew, bidding to curb violent incidents at spring break that saw five people wounded in two separate shootings.

The City of Miami Beach has declared a state of emergency in addition to implementing an upcoming curfew in order to curb violence across the city this spring break.

The move from officials comes after shootings this past weekend wounded five people.

During a news conference Monday with the Miami Beach Police Department and other city officials, Mayor Dan Gelber said that tourists had created an "unacceptable" atmosphere across the city, and that the city was "way past its endpoint."

The mayor emphasized that he, along with city officials, don't ask for spring break to come to Miami Beach, but simply endure it.

"It's simply unacceptable at every level," Gelber said. "We simply cannot endure this anymore."

The newly implemented emergency order will allow for Miami Beach's City Manager, Alina Hudak, to institute a curfew. Effective Thursday starting at 12:01 a.m., a midnight curfew will go into effect and will remain until 6 a.m. on March 28, said Hudak, who signed the order Monday.