Police reportedly forced homeless people living in tents in downtown Miami to pick up their belongings and move as filming for the upcoming movie “Bad Boys 4” took place in the area. thing.
Several people told the Miami Herald This week, when cameras began rolling on the sequel starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence again, Miami police reportedly asked them to leave their post.
“It’s because of the new movie I’m filming,” Matthew Williams told the newspaper as he stuffed his belongings into a bag as police looked on. “They moved us because we were too close to the set. They didn’t want to show the fancy movie people from out of town that homelessness existed in Miami.”
“Bad Boys 4” has been filming all week in Miami and around South Florida. cause traffic headaches within the area.
Miami Police Department Officer Michael Vega told the newspaper that it is illegal for people to pitch tents on city property and that officers were simply enforcing the law.
He said the homeless encampment is in a restricted area and “no one other than those authorized by the film crew are allowed to enter the area.”
“It’s not that Miami police don’t want to see homeless people,” Vega said. “You can see it throughout downtown Miami.”
The newspaper has reached out to Miami police and local authorities for comment.
Miami police are recommending that homeless people be moved to several shelters in the city rather than on the streets.
“They are advised to go to a shelter and if they refuse, they have to leave the area,” Vega told the Herald. “They are offered assistance before the officer tells them to move, but most people do not accept it.”
Felicia Evans, who has been homeless for nine months, said outside her newly set up tent after being chased away by police that the city’s three shelters were already at capacity.
“We don’t have many places to go,” she said. “They’re filming Will Smith, but we’re not going to do that. It’s difficult. Every shelter is full, so we don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Bad Boys 4 is scheduled to be released sometime this summer.
Shortly before theaters were shut down due to the pandemic, Bad Boys for Life was a huge hit, grossing $426 million worldwide. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer is returning for the fourth film, as are Bad Boys for Life directors Adil El Arbi and Bilal Farah.
