Spring break crime plummets in Florida hot spot after warning goes viral
Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner took office at the end of 2023, after years of spring break turmoil that left local businesses in shambles and residents irked.
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After working with city, county, and state authorities to curb chaos during spring break in 2024, the city's comprehensive 'Reality Check' campaign came to life in 2025.
'I mean, we had [in] the prior years literally killings on our street,' Meiner told Fox News Digital. 'We had other shootings, basically modified stampedes, just from literally a level of lawlessness and chaos – jumping on police cars – it was just not tolerable.'
'And this year, the follow-up was the same measures,' Meiner said. 'Same police presence, same result again for the governor came down for a press conference here, and it was a reality check. This is the reality of what's going to happen here if you don't play by the rules.'
6 Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner said that a viral reality TV-themed public service announcement helped the city drastically reduce spring break crime for the second year in a row.
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The 'Reality Check' video, viewed more than 53,000 times since it was posted on Feb. 4, shows an eager cast of spring break characters ready to run amok in the city. Along the way, they are disappointed to learn that Miami Beach has strict rules for spring breakers and plans to enforce those rules, leaving them disappointed.
Those rules ranged from enforcing volume levels of speakers on the beach to implementing security and DUI checkpoints citywide. Throughout spring break, there was a citywide 6 p.m. curfew and $100 parking fees, which made it cost-prohibitive for some partiers to access hot spots.
The city enlisted state troopers and county police to help local police enforce the strict rules.
6 Meiner took office at the end of 2023, after years of spring break turmoil that left local businesses in shambles and residents irked.
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'I'd come back to Miami Beach, just not for spring break,' a cast member says at the end of the video.
Meiner couldn't be happier with the results.
'The results have been phenomenal,' Meiner said. 'I mean, success at every level you measure it. No killings, no shootings, no major incidents, no stampedes. I can tell you … literally from the hoteliers to restaurants to businesses, everyone's appreciative. And literally, almost universally, our businesses are very appreciative of the steps we took, and [it was] a major success for our city.'
6 The 'Reality Check' video, viewed more than 53,000 times since it was posted on Feb. 4, shows an eager cast of spring break characters ready to run amok in the city.
City of Miami Beach TV
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6 Along the way, they are disappointed to learn that Miami Beach has strict rules for spring breakers and plans to enforce those rules, leaving them disappointed in the video.
City of Miami Beach TV
Residents are thrilled with the outcome, too, according to Meiner.
'And it's just amazing,' he said. 'No matter where you go in our city, even people who live, you know, six, seven miles away from where the activity took place, nobody wanted to see their city viewed in a negative light. They're so appreciative.'
Miami Beach is not the only city looking to cast off its chaotic spring break reputation.
6 City of Miami Beach police officers respond to an incident during spring break, March 15, 2024.
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6 'I mean, we had [in] the prior years literally killings on our street,' Meiner said.. 'We had other shootings, basically modified stampedes, just from literally a level of lawlessness and chaos – jumping on police cars – it was just not tolerable.'
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Panama City Beach Mayor Stuart Tettemer told Fox News Digital that his city has upped its spring break crime deterrence efforts.
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'Panama City Beach has taken aggressive steps to maintain order during the Spring Break period, including targeted evening beach closures, enhanced enforcement zones, mutual aid partnerships, and public-private screening efforts at Pier Park,' Tettermer said.
'PCB is committed to law and order, acting swiftly with law enforcement to keep the community safe and family-friendly, and working with responsible businesses to ensure the unruly spring break legacy stays in the past.'
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GO FURTHER Hockey Canada sexual assault trial is over; decision coming July 24 By Katie Strang and Dan Robson All five defense teams were given the chance to put forth final reply submissions and focused on a variety of aspects of the case. David Humphrey, attorney for McLeod, argued that the Crown was manipulating evidence, distorting the timeline and jettisoning arguments that were inconsistent with their arguments. Riaz Sayani, Hart's attorney, largely focused on what he argued was the Crown's misapplications of law, including invoking trauma principles for circular reasoning and 'bootstrapping' information to augment their case. Hilary Dudding, attorney for Formenton, argued that myth-based stereotypes should not be applied to defense arguments, nor for Crown positions. 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The Canadian Press via AP By Katie Strang and Dan Robson In closing submissions, Crown attorney Meaghan Cunningham took issue with the 'consent videos' filmed by McLeod as exculpatory evidence, arguing the verbal prompts by McLeod in the second video — beginning the video with 'Say it,' and subsequently interjecting 'What else? — illustrated that they were neither evidence of E.M. providing consent nor evidence of McLeod taking a reasonable step to ascertain consent. Cunningham argued that the videos instead support E.M.'s testimony — that McLeod was 'hounding' her to say the activity was consensual, which E.M. said was not a reflection of how she felt at the time. 'She's simply agreeing with him when he's making it clear what he wants her to say,' Cunningham said. Crown attorney Heather Donkers presented Justice Maria Carroccia with a path to conviction for each defendant. The Crown highlighted credibility and reliability issues with the accused and asked the court to find that E.M. did not have a choice so she could not have provided consent. Additionally, Donkers detailed how none of the defendants took reasonable steps to ascertain consent, which the Crown argued demonstrated their 'recklessness' or 'willful blindness' on the consent issue. The Crown incorporated case law demonstrating the need for 'greater care' exercised with those 'reasonable steps' in situations such as when the accused is unfamiliar with the complainant or the complainant is intoxicated or vulnerable. The Crown argued that all these caveats applied to the circumstances within Room 209 that night. (Dubé also admitted in his 2018 police interview that he was, at one point, holding a golf club, which represents an additional factor to the 'greater care' requirement with respect to his specific case, Donkers said.) Cunningham concluded the Crown's case by referring to a statement E.M. made near the end of her seven-day cross-examination, in which she described being objectified and laughed at. 'Literally, any one of those men could have stood up and said, this isn't right. And no one did. No one noticed that,' E.M. said, while being cross-examined by Julianna Greenspan. 'No one thought like that. They didn't want to think about if I was actually OK or if I was actually consenting.' By Katie Strang and Dan Robson With the Hockey Canada trial over and a decision from Justice Maria Carroccia as to whether guilt was proven beyond a reasonable doubt to be announced today, this has become a touchstone for perspectives on sexual assault, misogyny and consent. The 'she said, they said' nature of the evidence has also dragged the insular and protective culture of hockey into an uncomfortable spotlight. Read more below about why judgment can be rendered regardless of the outcome. GO FURTHER Legal decision for the 'Hockey Canada 5' won't come for weeks, but judgment can be rendered By Katie Strang and Dan Robson The prosecution described Michael McLeod as the 'architect' of the 'group sexual activity' at the center of the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial and said he told 'outright lies' to portray the complainant as the aggressor in the sexual interactions of the night and advance a 'false narrative.' Attorney Meaghan Cunningham provided Justice Maria Carroccia an outline of the Crown's argument, showing a power point in a closing submission last month that she said will demonstrate E.M. did not voluntarily agree to the charged sexual acts of the night. Cunningham began that presentation by telling Carroccia that she intended to prove E.M. did not want to engage in group sex and that McLeod repeatedly lied about his role as the orchestrator of the alleged incident. McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé and Cal Foote are all charged with sexual assault. McLeod is also facing a second charge for 'being a party to the offense' for what the Crown has asserted was his role 'assisting and encouraging his teammates to engage sexually' with E.M. All five players pleaded not guilty. Read more below. GO FURTHER Prosecutor calls Michael McLeod the architect of Hockey Canada sexual assault Cole Burston / Getty Images LONDON, Ont. — Carter Hart was the final defendant to arrive at the courthouse. Hart, formerly a goalie for the Philadelphia Flyers, was dropped off in front of the building, climbing out of a black Chevrolet Suburban. Hart, like his fellow defendants, was greeted with loud boos and chants. LONDON, ONT. — Michael McLeod, the only player facing two charges, has arrived. He approached the building from a side opposite a growing, vocal group of protestors. Three men supporting the players, two of whom held signs, waited nearby at the courthouse steps. They stood across from a much larger, much louder group of people — roughly 100 — supporting E.M. and sexual assault survivors. Cal Foote arrived shortly after McLeod. By Katie Strang and Dan Robson After a jury was discharged in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial, a publication ban on previously unreported details from the trial was lifted. The highly publicized trial has been marred by a series of unexpected incidents — including an attempt by a member of the public to locate the Crown's central witness, concerns that smart glasses were being used to illegally record the proceedings, and aggressive interactions with the media. More on what the jury didn't hear at the link below. GO FURTHER What the jury didn't hear in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial Cole Burston / Getty Images LONDON, Ont. — Alex Formenton was the first defendant to arrive at the courthouse, along with his defense team, led by Daniel Brown. More than 50 protestors supporting E.M. and sexual assault survivors chanted and booed Formenton and his party as they approached the building. First, and most importantly, the switch to a judge-alone trial meant Justice Carroccia will render the verdicts on each of the charges rather than providing instruction and guidance on the law to a group of jurors. According to criminal defense lawyer Nikolas Lust, judges interpret the law differently. Carroccia, for example, is a former criminal defense attorney who earned judicial appointment in June 2020. Lust asserted that does not necessarily mean the five players will be acquitted. But, he said, 'defense lawyers who become judges are just so much more aware of the law and the nature of sexual assaults than your average person.' One fairly consistent trait among judges, however, is that they are 'not as swayed by narrative and emotions in the same way that a jury is,' Lust said. Another significant difference is that judges will often provide a written opinion that details their reasons for arriving at a given decision. That differs from a jury trial, where jurors come back from deliberations and provide a verdict, but no explanation. 'Whatever the result is, people are going to know how it is that Her Honor got there,' Lust explained. Sean Gentille / The Athletic LONDON, Ont. — Supporters of E.M and sexual assault survivors, holding signs and printed sheets of protest chants, have arrived outside the courthouse. Protests aren't allowed in court. The protesters plan to reconvene once the verdicts are rendered and court is dismissed, and the expectation is that other protesters in support of the players will arrive ahead of the trial as well. About 15 minutes before the courthouse doors were to open at 8:30 a.m. ET, the line for admission — comprised of both media and the public — was about 60 people deep. A juror handed Justice Carroccia a note that read: 'Multiple jury members feel we are being judged and made fun of by (defense) lawyers Daniel Brown and Hilary Dudding. Every day when we enter the courtroom they observe us, whisper to each other and turn to each other and laugh as if they are discussing our appearance. This is unprofessional and unacceptable.' Brown and Dudding categorically denied the jurors' accusations. In arguing for the trial to continue in front of Carroccia alone, Megan Savard — attorney for Carter Hart — said the note was a worse form of jury tainting than the initial incident that led to a mistrial on April 25. In the legal arguments, which were previously covered by a publication ban, Brown and other defense attorneys referenced a 'chilling effect' that the allegations would have in court. Brown said that his ability to make submissions, or even look at the jurors, would be impacted by the situation, impeding his and his counterparts' abilities to represent their clients fairly. Brown also told the judge that he believed that jurors might have been influenced by the dozens of protestors who have often gathered outside the courthouse and commentary on social media. (The court had heard previously that Carroccia made arrangements for the jury to enter the courthouse through a separate, private entrance). Under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, an accused has the right to be heard by an 'independent and impartial tribunal.' But according to criminal defense lawyer Nikolas Lust, it's 'an absolute possibility' that a jury could be affected by outside influences, despite rules against reading or engaging with anything having to do with the case. 'The case is being talked about everywhere. It's on YouTube, it's on Twitter, it is on Facebook, it's on TikTok,' Lust said. 'Maybe (a juror) saw something online about people taking issue with (Brown's) line of questioning and they developed some conscious or unconscious dislike of him.' Carroccia told the court that, while she had not witnessed any inappropriate behavior by Brown or Dudding, it appeared to her that several members of the jury harbored negative feelings toward the defense. 'It is with reluctance that I have determined that the fairness of this trial has been compromised,' Carroccia said in her decision to discharge the jury to 'protect trial fairness.'
