Miami Beach has one goal: to keep people safe during Spring Break | Opinion

Our curfew is justified.

Last weekend, five innocent tourists visiting Miami Beach on Spring Break were shot on consecutive nights by criminals with semi-automatic weapons.

It did not happen in a dark alley, or in a remote area of the city. It happened in front of thousands of other tourists and steps away from several police officers patrolling the area. Within seconds, our police rushed into the scene, not knowing who was even shooting, but prepared to put themselves in great peril to protect others.

As mass shootings go, we were lucky. Lucky only five people were injured. Lucky no visitors or police officers lost their lives.

But luck is not a plan. So, we implemented a midnight curfew as a last resort. Only in the area where most of the Spring Break challenges happen, and only after a massive deployment of police officers still didn’t deter the misconduct.

I recognize that a curfew is an intrusive measure. It can hurt businesses and, obviously, is an imposition on people’s liberty. But we can’t balance lost revenue or, frankly, anything against our obligation to keep people safe.

Some have tried to make this about race because so many of those visiting are Black. It’s both unfair and demonstrably untrue to claim race played any role in our response. We went through an entire month of Spring Break without declaring a curfew, and only did so in the aftermath of two nights of unprecedented gunfire upon innocent bystanders. Our actions were in response to only that behavior and obvious peril, and absolutely nothing else.

It’s true, my city doesn’t like Spring Break. We are not alone. Several cities have been Spring Break destinations, including Fort Lauderdale, Daytona Beach and areas in the Panhandle. But each place eventually took steps to rid themselves of Spring Break because whatever economic benefit it provided wasn’t worth the chaos it fomented.

That’s because Spring Break is a rite of passage for many young people, a time to do something that challenges the norms of acceptable behavior. But along with traditional Spring Breakers we have also attracted some that come with bad intentions. With drugs and guns — and looking for a fight. Unfortunately, that has been too much of our experience. This month we confiscated more than 100 weapons. Some automatic, some as part of arrests of drug dealers and known gang members.

We have tried many approaches to manage Spring Break beyond just heightened policing. “Goodwill ambassadors” are out in force, fostering positive engagement. Code officers work to close down illicit events that promote overcrowding. But, ultimately, the crowds are just too large and unruly.

Miami Beach is in earnest trying to reimagine South Beach as a true cultural district more than an entertainment district. But that will require attracting more diverse uses, including more residential units, boutique offices, galleries and shops. And that will take time.

Until then, we will continue to do all we must to keep people safe, including a curfew when necessary.

Dan Gelber is mayor of Miami Beach.

This story was originally published March 24, 2022 at 5:40 PM.