MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Thousands of spring breakers have packed South Beach at the beginning of what city officials expect will be the season’s busiest weekend, and police officers are out in full force.
7News cameras captured large crowds along Ocean Drive, near Seventh Street, Friday night.
“Oh, it’s been real crazy. Everybody’s been running, police been whipping it up,” said a woman.
The crowds were so large that a portion of Ocean Drive was shut down to southbound vehicular traffic. It has since reopened.
The general consensus from officials is that the numbers have been lower than on previous pre-pandemic years.
However, Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber said they are not letting their guard down, especially since the weekend that follows St. Patrick’s Day typically draws the biggest crowds.
“We’re gonna be as prepared as we can possibly be,” he said. “We always hold our breath in March.”
The heightened police presence comes a day after surveillance cameras captured at least two small stampedes. It remains unclear what caused them.
Sunday night, police said, officers were forced to shock a man with a Taser.
Surveillance video shows officers dispersing a spring break crowd. Moments later, the subject is seen mounting a locked bike, followed by a scooter that ends up falling to the ground.
Officers who noticed the subject are seen telling him to pick up the scooter.
Investigators said the man slapped an officer’s hand away and resisted being taken into custody.
“You’re going to get down on the ground or you’re going to get zapped,” an officer is heard saying in the video.
Officers deployed their Tasers twice after a brief struggle and arrested the man. He faces several charges, including battery on an officer.
Nevertheless, officials said, confrontations like this one are down in 2022, and they hope it stays that way.
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