The crowd of U.S. tourists who were deceived by the “end of the epidemic” to the coast of Miami Beach, a small town in Florida, was so uncontrollable that local authorities imposed a curfew on Saturday (20).
Over the next 72 hours, visitors will have to leave the streets, with authorities announcing that restaurants will close their doors at 8pm on the main tourist areas of South Beach, the hub of Miami Beach entertainment.
Also, all three bridges connecting the island to the mainland will be closed to traffic after 10 p.m. Access will be for residents, workers and hotel guests only.
March 16 photo shows tourists on the beach in Miami Beach, Florida – Photo: Joe Reidle / Getty Images / AFP
The decision comes after weeks of intense festivities on Miami Beach, which is used by unrestricted tourists: every year, in March, this small island receives thousands of students from across the country who go on vacation.
But Mayor Dan Kelper said this year was “this much clearer than previous years.” “I think one reason for this is that some places in other parts of the country are very cold, or they are closed, very cold because they are open.”
Over the past two days, images of restaurant fights have gone viral, causing severe damage, as well as customers fleeing without paying expensive bills, according to local media reports.
The crowd was spotted at Ocean Drive on Thursday night (18) off the coast of Miami, Florida – Photo: Joe Reidle / Getty Images / AFP
Miami Beach Police Chief Richard Clements said he was concerned the situation would drop.
“On Thursday, hundreds of people ran at one point and threw tables and chairs like weapons,” he said. “We expected it to be an isolated incident, but there were three situations like this last night, when a young woman was injured.”
Kelber said on Monday that the island, which has a population of only 92,000, attracts 200,000 visitors and workers every day.
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