‘It’s not us, it’s you’: Miami Beach breaks up with spring break
- Miami Beach launched its "Spring Break Breakup" campaign
- New restrictions come on heels of last year’s chaotic, violent spring break
- City: 'That was our breaking point, so, we are breaking up with you'
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(NewsNation) — The city of Miami Beach is “breaking up” with spring break.
“This isn’t working anymore,” the city said in a video posted to its website, where it has launched its “Spring Break Breakup” campaign.
Florida beach cities have begun bracing for spring breakers with increased police presence and new restrictions.
Officials are working to limit the spring break chaos in Miami’s South Beach by implementing $100 flat fees for parking, doubling towing rates for nonresidents to $516 and closing some parking garages altogether.
The city will also not have sidewalk seating for cafes along Ocean Drive and limit beach access to avoid chaotic scenes seen in previous years. Bag checks, DUI checkpoints and increased patrols were also added to help prevent unlawful activity.
These new restrictions come on the heels of last year’s chaotic spring break that resulted in two deadly shootings and nearly 500 arrests, according to authorities.
“That was our breaking point, so, we are breaking up with you,” the advertisement continued. “And don’t try to apologize and come crawling back. This isn’t safe, so, we’re done.”
Miami Beach Police Department says people can expect to see more officers around the beach this weekend, and the Florida Highway Patrol will be visible until 3 a.m.
Though some students have already reached Florida for their spring breaks, local police departments are expected to be in “high-impact” mode starting next week, according to CBS News.
Business owners welcome the added restrictions because they have been impacted by the huge crowds in the past.
David Wallack, owner of Mango’s Tropical Cafe, said the chaos has been a “very destructive cultural phenomenon to all of the businesses.”
“All of these people are here for a street party, not the businesses. So, what happens is all the business customers get chased away, but the street party goes on. And that’s the problem,” he said.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to hold a news conference Tuesday in Miami Beach addressing the city’s decision to “break up” with spring break.
NewsNation’s Xavier Walton contributed to this report.
