‘It’s not us, it’s you’: Miami Beach ‘breaking up’ with spring breakers

Attention, spring breakers: Miami Beach is just not that into you.
The Florida city released a new ad campaign Friday — including a YouTube video titled Miami Beach is Breaking Up with Spring Break — warning rowdy tourists who flock to the city each March that they’re being put on watch and that their tolerance for foolish and law-breaking behaviour is at an all-time low.
The video features a number of “locals” who appear to “break up” with spring breakers.
“It’s not us, it’s you,” says one woman, riffing off a line from Seinfeld‘s George Costanza. “We just want different things.”
Another woman holds up her phone, showing a video of chaos in the streets.
“Do you even remember what happened last March?!”
Last year, Miami Beach declared a state of emergency following two fatal shootings during spring break. Hundreds of additional arrests were also made and dozens of guns were confiscated.
It marked the third year in a row that the city was forced to enact emergency measures to curb out-of-control behaviours from the hordes that flock to the city each March.
This year, officials are implementing month-long security measures aimed at preventing the chaos, including parking restrictions for non-residents and closing sidewalk cafes on busy weekends.
The city has warned visitors also to expect other buzz-killing controls like curfews, $100 parking fees, bag searches at the beach, early beach closures, DUI checkpoints, licence plate readers and arrests for drug possession and violence.
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday that 45 state law enforcement officers are also being deployed to the city to bolster the police.
“The status quo and what we’ve seen in the last few years is just not acceptable, not tolerable,” Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner told The Associated Press.
High Impact Measures are in place throughout the month of March — including parking enforcement and increased towing of illegally parked vehicles — with priority given to residential areas.
View the graphic below or visit https://t.co/CjCyrLwkPD for details. pic.twitter.com/jC0myG5qQ8
— City of Miami Beach (@MiamiBeachNews) March 1, 2024

Meiner said crowds have become unmanageable despite a robust police presence. He said the city, which is situated on a barrier island across the bay from Miami, can only hold so many people, and that capacity has often exceeded what’s safe for both visitors and residents during the break.
“Florida is a very welcoming state. We welcome people to come and have a good time. What we don’t welcome is criminal activity. What we don’t welcome is mayhem and people who want to wreak havoc on our communities,” DeSantis said during a press conference about the measures.
Miami Beach Police Chief Wayne A. Jones told NBC News that the police will be working overtime this year and will use drone technology to spot problematic or illegal behaviour.
“You come here, you have a good time, you behave, we will invite you back,” Jones said. “You come here and break the law, we’re likely gonna arrest you.”
— With files from The Associated Press