Miami Beach is banning some late-night alcohol sales in the city’s popular South Beach neighborhood for three straight nights, an emergency measure that went into effect Thursday — the same day the curfew was put in place to quell any spring break chaos. in the same area.
Under the ban, which applies to most of the area, the sale of alcohol for “outdoor consumption” is prohibited in businesses such as liquor stores and pharmacies after 6 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The ban does not apply to the sale of alcohol in bars and restaurants, although it coincides with a curfew imposed by the city in the same area from midnight on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday until 6 am the next day.
City officials are hoping the emergency measures will ease the chaos of spring break and the large crowds that filled South Beach, which left five people injured in two separate shootings over the weekend on a busy waterfront.
On Monday, city officials announced their intention to impose a curfew. At a meeting on Tuesday, the Miami Beach City Commission voted unanimously to impose a curfew and add restrictions on the sale of alcohol. This was announced in a press release on Wednesday.
“We all knew this week and next week were going to be a tough weekend because every year they’re a tough weekend,” Mayor Dan Gelber said at a meeting on Tuesday, adding that the commission had “reached clarity” on how to address the issue. . year of spring break. “Frankly, optimism, hope and luck are not plans.”
According to the city press service, persons violating the state of emergency will be subject to arrest.
“Our goal is compliance,” Miami Beach Police Department spokesman Ernesto Rodriguez said Thursday night.
Miami Beach, a barrier island in South Florida with a population of 90,000, draws tens of thousands of people during spring break, Mr. Gelber said. Spring break usually lasts from mid-February to early April. The city imposed a curfew last year to contain large crowds.
Ricky Arriola, one of the city’s commissioners, said the spring break crowd is not like the visitors who come to the city for seasonal events like Art Basel and Art Deco Weekend and “don’t behave like that.”
“This is a special crowd that comes here at this particular time of the year and does not behave in accordance with the normal civil rules of behavior,” Mr. Arriola said. “They settle differences with fights, stabbings, shootings and pogroms.” He said “draconian” emergency measures, while not ideal, are necessary despite the business implications.
Rosie Zubigaray, manager of Gulf Liquors in South Beach, said in an interview Thursday night that the restrictions on the sale of alcohol were unfair. Restaurants and bars “sell alcohol until midnight right where the shooting happened,” she said, alleging that the city holds liquor stores to a different standard.
With downtown Miami’s ultra music festival this weekend and the ongoing spring break celebrations, she prepared for a busy weekend by shopping for extra merchandise she says is now stuck in the store.
“It’s hurting our business – it’s a big weekend today,” Ms Zubigaray said. “That’s nonsense.”
According to city spokesman Matt Kenny, at least two lawsuits have been filed against the city in connection with the curfew. He said the city is “preparing our response to these lawsuits” and declined to comment further on the pending litigation.