The mayor of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, says the recent crackdown on Miami Beach's spring breakers may have sent her town northwards.
Her comments came after the Sunny Isles Police Department said on March 21, with the help of a nearby agency, it had broken up a large, unauthorized beach “quickly and efficiently.”
“We have such a beautiful beach so we can say that we have always been a popular place. …We had a very large group – we weren't used to it. It was unusual. “Was it the result of warnings from Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale? Maybe. I'd say yes. But once we got there, we could order everything within two hours.”
Svechin said the town's police station was responding promptly, “not playing” and “we don't intend to tolerate lawlessness.”
Florida Spring Break crowd kicked off the beach amid crackdown on state parties
Sunny Isles Beach police dispersed a large spring break gathering on Friday. (WSVN)
“It certainly wasn't something that you can enjoy the beach. As a teenager, I really enjoyed the beach. This isn't about that,” Svechin said. “This is about drinking underages and dangerous activities that we will not tolerate.”
It appears that party participants have spread social media posts promoting events that were not permitted. Local News Outlet WSVN.
Florida Spring Break: Fort Lauderdale welcomes parties as state sends more police to holiday hotspots
The Sunny Isles Beach bullet warned that authorities were keeping an eye on illegal behaviour after Miami Beach police issued a real-life advertising campaign. (WSVN)
Miami Beach Police last month issued a TV-themed advertising campaign, warning during spring break that authorities were seeking illegal activities. The ad clearly prevented the spring breaker from visiting Miami, affecting alternative trips to Sunny Isles and Fort Lauderdale.
See ads for Miami Beach:
Fort Lauderdale also warned the Springbreaker, but shot a slightly different song than the Miami Beach PD, telling tourists to “know the rules” and “enjoy our city responsibly.”
However, Svechin said local leaders have changed songs during recent spring break, prioritizing residents over visitors Moreso than in the past.
Here's how Miami Beach successfully broke up during spring break
“You start to have certain values for the city so that you can establish yourself more and have business and long-term residents rather than as many temporary residents as before,” the mayor said.
Fort Lauderdale police report spring break surge amid crackdown on Miami Beach
Beach fans spend a sunny, hot day at Sunny Isles Beach in Florida. (David Santiago/Miami Herald/TNS)
She added that the South Florida city appears to have come to a kind of agreement. This means that visitors should “enjoy” the area's beaches but should “behave” themselves.
“We're paying for all of this.”
“Because our residents pay for infrastructure,” Svetin said. “We are paying for police coming out and making sure everyone is safe, we are paying for cleaning the beach.
Miami Beach's Spring Break Restrictions Prove to be “a huge success” for residents and businesses
Residents of Sunny Isles Beach and other Florida Beach towns “deserve to be peaceful and quiet,” she said, adding that residents in the area don't consist of so many “snowbirds” like they did a few years ago. There are more permanent residents than ever after the state saw the influx of new residents during the pandemic.
The mayor of Sunny Isles Beach said the Miami Beach spring break crackdown instead led visitors to her town. (Chandankanna/AFP)
Similarly, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a press conference earlier this month that spring break in Miami saw wild crowds around 2020.
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“We were grateful for that, and honestly, a lot of businesses came here and never came back.
The governor added that he has directed state law enforcement to provide additional personnel and assets to Miami Beach and other spring break hotspots over the coming weeks.
