MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Miami Beach Police said they are making major safety changes in preparation for Memorial Day weekend festivities.
“We have a lot of things going on that I think residents will enjoy,” said Miami Beach Commissioner Ricky Arriola.
Officials said they are concerned about past violence and packed crowds on Miami Beach over Memorial Day weekend, and are hoping to change the stigma.
Police and local leaders joined the NAACP for the Unity in the Community discussion at the Betsy Hotel on Wednesday.
“There are different incidents that happen all the time,” said Ruben Roberts, the President of NAACP Miami-Dade. “But we know that when you have programming, it really diffuses those activities, those nefarious activities.”
Officials said they will hold several sanctioned events instead of the normal street parties, including a poetry reading, gospel concert and celebrity basketball game featuring the mayors of Miami Beach and Miami.
“That’s one of the things we’re doing differently this year,” Arriola said. “Rather than just have most of the festivities on Ocean Drive where it essentially turns into a street party, we’ve endeavored to spread it out throughout the course of the weekend.”
The City of Miami Beach said they will be posting all of the information about Memorial Day weekend events online once they are finalized.
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