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Miami Beach cracks down on ‘mayhem’ of spring break holiday for college students, but not everyone’s on board

  • Spring break is a time when US college students let loose, but in recent years the celebrations have turned violent in Miami Beach, Florida, and other places
  • Curfews, bag searches and more have been announced ‘to keep people safe’ in 2024, but there’s been a backlash from business owners and civil rights advocates

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Spring break revellers up to no good in Miami Beach, Florida, in 2021. New measures to prevent similar chaos during the 2024 festivities, a holiday for US college students, are being met with resistance, and not just from party-goers. Photo: AFP

Miami Beach is trying to break up with spring break, but it’s not yet clear whether spring break will take the hint.

After three consecutive years of violence during spring break – a holiday in the United States during which many higher-education students party – Miami Beach officials are implementing month-long security measures aimed at curbing the chaos. These include parking restrictions for non-residents and closing street-side cafes on busy weekends.

The city in the state of Florida has warned visitors to expect curfews, bag searches at the beach, early beach closures, DUI (driving under the influence) checkpoints and arrests for drug possession and violence.

Florida governor Ron DeSantis announced this week that 45 state law enforcement officers are being deployed to the city to bolster the police.

Women fight on the street in Miami Beach, Florida, during spring break in 2021. Photo: AFP
Women fight on the street in Miami Beach, Florida, during spring break in 2021. Photo: AFP

Business owners in the city’s world-famous South Beach neighbourhood are concerned that they’ll lose money during one of the busiest times of the year, and civil rights advocates say the restrictions are an overreaction to large crowds of black people.

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