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The city of Miami Beach has declared a state of emergency and imposed a curfew because of crowds of "spring break" celebrants.

The authorities announced on Saturday (local time) that it will apply in the main tourist areas of the city from 8 p.m.

Restaurants would then also have to close.

According to the police, there had been riots at the parties on the US semester break in the past few days.

As the authorities announced, the three bridges to the mainland will also be closed between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Exceptions only apply to residents, commuters and hotel guests.

Miami Beach in the US state of Florida attracts numerous students from all over the country every year during the semester break, the so-called "spring break".

Despite the corona pandemic, many young people had come again in the past few days to celebrate wild parties in the beach metropolis.

Crowds on Ocean Drive

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Mayor Dan Gelber spoke of significantly more celebrations than in previous years.

"I think it's partly because there are very few places in the country that are open," Gelber said when the curfew was announced.

He told CNN with a view to the large number of visitors: “There are really too many who come without the intention of obeying the rules.

And the result is a level of chaos and disorder that we just can't stand anymore. "

The spring break revelers dance close together as if Corona was already over

Source: REUTERS

Ocean Drive is full of people

Source: AFP / JOE RAEDLE

Raul Aguila of the city administration justified the curfew with concerns about public safety.

Looking at photos of huge crowds on Ocean Drive, he said, “It looked like a rock concert.

You couldn't see the sidewalk or the grass. " 

Miami Beach Police Chief Richard Clements expressed concern that the situation could get out of hand in the face of the crowds.

According to local media reports, videos from restaurants in Miami Beach in which guests had fisted and caused major property damage had spread on the Internet in the past few days.

In the chaos, many restaurant guests had disappeared without paying their bills.

On Friday the famous bar and hotel "The Clevelander South Beach" announced that it would temporarily close its restaurants and bars.

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On Thursday evening there was an incident in which "hundreds of people ran off at the same time," said Clements.

"Tables and chairs were thrown and used as weapons." There were three other incidents of this kind on Friday, in which a young woman was injured.

Traditionally, the spring break holidays are celebrated lively

Source: REUTERS

During the day, the students relax on the beach

Source: AFP / JOE RAEDLE

Students who had arrived reacted disappointed to the restrictions.

"It sucks," said John Perez, 22, from Texas, who was drinking beer on the beach with a group of friends.

"It was so much fun here, you know, the warm weather, the beach ..." he said. 

Jalen Rob, who also traveled from Texas, recommended that people get vaccinated against the corona virus.

Then you could have "a good time" in Florida.

Filmmaker Billy Corben published a video on the online service Twitter that showed a man standing on a car with "Joker" face paint and a US flag shouting: "Covid is over, baby!"