Opinion: DeSantis 2024?

[GMDino]

https://www.mediaite.com/news/weve-seen-enough-please-dont-come-here-miami-beach-mayor-imposes-8-pm-curfew-closes-bridges-to-control-spring-break-crowds/

Quote:‘We’ve Seen Enough…Please Don’t Come Here’: Miami Beach Mayor Imposes 8 PM Curfew, Closes Bridges To Control Spring Break Crowds

By Sarah RumpfMar 20th, 2021, 6:10 pm

The city of Miami Beach has declared a state of emergency imposing an 8 pm curfew and closing bridges at 10 pm to non-local traffic, as maskless crowds have overwhelmed the city’s entertainment district at night.

The combination of Florida’s mild spring weather and the lower pandemic restrictions than in many other states had brought overwhelming crowds, Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber told CNN Newsroom anchor Ana Cabrera about the order, explaining that the city had been dealing with “a level of chaos and disorder that is just something more than we can endure,” with the crowds getting “worse every single day.”

“During the day, it’s pretty tame,” Gelber said, saying that visitors were enjoying the beaches and the hotels and restaurants were “doing a pretty good job with outdoor dining.” However, he continued, the entertainment district at night “becomes a whole different scene,” which he described as “like a rock concert, wall-to-wall people over blocks and blocks.”

The violence had been escalating, said Gelber, with someone shooting a weapon into the air and what he described as “a riot.” The city “feels like a tinder…like any match could set it off,” he said.

“We don’t want to wait to take these kinds of actions in the wake of a tremendous tragedy. We want to take it now when we’ve seen enough. We have definitely seen enough.”

Cabrera mentioned that Miami Beach had made over 900 arrests — 300 of them for felony offenses — as they fought to control the spring break crowds. At least half of those arrested were from outside of Florida.

“So what is you message to people now perhaps eyeing a summer vacation in Florida?” asked Cabrera.

“We’re always going to be one of the best destinations in the world…but right now if you’re coming here because you’ve been pent up and you want to cut loose, and you think anything goes, please don’t come here. We have extra police everywhere. We’re going to arrest people, and we have been. We’re going to keep order.”

“If you’re coming here to go crazy, go somewhere else,” Gelber concluded. “We don’t want you.”

Watch the video above, via CNN.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2021/03/18/miami-will-keep-issuing-citations-for-covid-violations-defying-desantis-order/?sh=1fe8204c6dd3

Quote:Miami Will Keep Issuing Citations For Covid Violations—Defying DeSantis’ Order


[/url]Nicholas Reimann
Forbes Staff

[url=https://www.forbes.com/business]Business
I'm a news reporter for Forbes, primarily covering the U.S. South.




TOPLINE
 
The Miami-Dade Police Department announced Thursday it planned to resume giving out citations for violations of county Covid guidelines, in defiance of an order issued by Gov. Ron DeSantis canceling Covid-related fines in what is the latest instance of a directive from the outspoken governor being ignored.


Miami Beach police officers direct people out of the entertainment district as a curfew from 8 p.m. ... [+]
 GETTY IMAGES
KEY FACTS
Police will fine residents who violate the county's mask mandate or violate curfew, according to the Miami Herald.
DeSantis issued an executive order on March 10 as "a categorical, statewide remission of fines related to COVID-19 restrictions."

Miami police and other law enforcement offices across the state had stopped issuing fines since then.
A joint statement Monday from officials in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties lambasted the governor's decision, saying "now is not the time to throw caution to the wind."
CRUCIAL QUOTE
"Miami-Dade has worked for months to get the spread of the virus under control, including putting in place common-sense measures to protect local residents," police said in a statement. "We must continue to follow the protocols that we know are effective in preventing the spread of the virus."

Following a review to clarify next steps based on the Governor’s March 10 executive order, the Miami-Dade Police Department will resume efforts to enforce Miami Dade County‘s COVID-related Emergency Orders through the issuance of civil citations. pic.twitter.com/8lc9ujfuY7

— Miami-Dade Police (@MiamiDadePD) March 18, 2021

 

WHAT WE DON'T KNOW
It's not clear how police can enforce the restrictions given DeSantis' order. The Miami-Dade Police Department did not respond to a request for comment from Forbes.
KEY BACKGROUND
Despite criticism from health experts and pleas from local officials for enforcement authority, DeSantis has continually sided against most coronavirus-related restrictions throughout the pandemic. He allowed all restaurants and bars to open at 100% capacity starting in September, for instance—months ahead of any other large state doing the same. But recently, some orders from DeSantis have just been ignored. Earlier this month, CVS pharmacies defied state orders by allowing teachers under the age of 50 to receive vaccines—in line with federal guidelines—despite Florida at the time prioritizing seniors for vaccinations. Another order from DeSantis, though not Covid-related, was defied last month when Palm Beach County refused to lower its flags to honor the late conservative radio show host Rush Limbaugh. On Thursday, DeSantis held a roundtable discussion that included Dr. Scott Atlas, the controversial Trump administration official who largely scoffed at recommendations that were the medical consensus, like mask wearing and social distancing.

2) Reminder— Scott Altas once claimed that opening schools has no risk to teachers or kids. Boy we know that isn’t true—plenty of proven transmission. #COVID19

They key is masks and ventilation and air exchange for safe schools.

pic.twitter.com/V2EgUTpa5Q

— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) March 18, 2021

 

TANGENT
Florida is a massive spring break destination, and local officials, like Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber (D), have expressed concern of the danger vacationers might pose to public health in the state. Air travel last week reached its highest level so far during the pandemic.