Saying that the sudden influx of people were more than his city can handle, Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber declared a state of emergency in the city, closing its entertainment district at 8 p.m. and shutting down incoming traffic at 9 p.m., CNN reports.
“Too many are coming, really, without the intention of following the rules, and the result has been a level of chaos and disorder that is just something more than we can endure,” Gelber told CNN’s Ana Cabrera.
The curfew will be in place for the next three days, Gelber declared. Only local traffic will be allowed into the city through its main causeways after 9 p.m.
The city has been besieged by a combination of college students on Spring Break and people longing for a vacation after stay-at-home orders due to the coronavirus pandemic. The downtown area has been crowded shoulder-to-shoulder with people.
On Friday, a person shot a weapon into the air, prompting a riot downtown, with thousands of people seeking refuge in local businesses and hotels. One of the city’s iconic hotels, Clevelander South Beach, soon after announced that it was closing its food and beverage services for fear for the safety of its employees.
“Recently, we have grown increasingly concerned with the safety of our dedicated employees and valued customers and the ability of the City to maintain a safe environment in the surrounding area,” the hotel said in a message posted online. “Therefore, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily close the food and beverage operations” until at least March 24th.
According to Miami Beach police, they have made more than 900 arrests in the last six weeks, including 300 for felonies. At least half of those arrested are non-residents of the area.