Miami-Dade closes 3 restaurants for coronavirus violations. Miami’s mayor seen at one
Three Miami restaurants have been shut down for violating coronavirus safety guidelines, and the owners could face jail time. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez was seen at one of the restaurants around guests who were breaking safety rules.
Miami-Dade police told Miami police Friday night that three restaurants — Astra in Wynwood, Swan in the Design District and El Secreto Bar & Grill in Little Havana — were not following the county’s “New Normal” rules.
Miami police checked the restaurants and shut them down for violations. The owners of the three Miami restaurants may face a $500 fine and up to 180 days in jail. This also goes for any owner whose businesses is non-compliant.
Restaurant representatives have not yet commented on the crackdown.
“The safety and welfare of all the residents of Miami-Dade County is paramount during this pandemic,” Miami-Dade County Mayor Gimenez said in a statement.. “There will be zero tolerance for establishments that do not follow the rules to protect our community from the spread of COVID-19.”
Photos and video obtained by the Miami Herald showed many patrons at Swan defying the coronavirus safety guidelines. People were seen without masks or with masks pulled down, partying in large groups while servers wore masks.
The photos also showed Suarez at the restaurant posing with two men. Photographs from Thursday night also show he was seated for dinner with four other people. Only four people can sit at a table at a time, unless they are from the same household, which means 10 people can sit together.
Suarez’s office confirmed the mayor went to Swan for dinner Thursday evening, but said he was not part of any large gathering, just having dinner.
Gimenez allowed restaurants to reopen May 18, but issued the New Normal rules to slow the spread of the virus. Some of these rules were reducing restaurant capacity by 50 percent, keeping tables six feet apart and requiring customers to wear masks except when seated.
Bar service, except when used for in-house dining, is also not permitted in Florida, and bars in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties must remain closed.
Any business closed due to non-compliance, including the shutdown Miami restaurants, must take 24 hours to review the New Normal guidelines and then take all necessary measures to meet the requirements.
Then, in order to reopen, businesses must file an affidavit showing they have completed those steps.
On Friday, Miami-Dade police conducted 10,220 business checks, mostly in unincorporated areas of the county, and warned 45 businesses of non-compliance for mostly lesser violations.
“Everyone must take personal responsibility to help stop the spread of this virus,” Mayor Gimenez said.
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