Police arrest more than 1,000 people amid spring break chaos

Miami Beach, Florida - As Miami Beach is dealing with thousands of tourists flooding the streets and beaches for spring break, police announced that the number of arrests over spring break has surpassed 1,000.

Ocean Drive at night during Spring Break on March 11.
Ocean Drive at night during Spring Break on March 11.  © IMAGO / MediaPunch

After a year of pandemic-induced restrictions, thousands of people have been taking trips down to Miami Beach to let loose over spring break.

It wasn't long until the party crowds got out of hand, and the authorities were left with no choice but to declare a state of emergency amid an ongoing deadly pandemic.

In the meantime, Miami's law enforcement reported they had arrested more than 1,000 people between February and last Sunday.

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Miami Beach City Manager Raul Aguila said more than half of those arrested were out of state visitors who came "to engage in lawlessness and an 'anything goes' party attitude," The Associated Press reported.

"We didn't really know what to expect from spring break," Aguila said. "But these are not necessarily spring breakers (in the sense that) they're not kids coming down for a break from college."

He added that the tourists pouring into South Beach this year include people who likely want to escape from coronavirus regulations in their home states.

Local officials have since turned to stricter measures, such as banning alcohol from the beach, and imposing an 8 PM curfew which was extended to April 12 in a city commission meeting on Sunday, according to the Miami Herald. The city has also been sending text messages to tourists, warning: "Vacation Responsibly or Be Arrested."

"I just feel like it's really not fair," one tourist, Heather Price, told NBC 6. "People paid a lot of money to come all the way out here, just to not be able to do the activities they wanted to."

Cover photo: IMAGO / MediaPunch

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