Spring Breakers Cause Chaos On South Beach
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The word whispered across South Beach Friday night was "chaos" after the Spring Break crowds got out of control,.
Miami Beach police told CBS4 that Spring Break crowds flowed off the beach and onto Lummus Park between 7th and 9th streets before spilling onto Ocean Drive.
As police tried to control the crowds – getting them off the street and onto the sidewalk – people pushed, brawls broke out and objects were thrown.
As the crowd grew out of control, Miami Beach police had to call in officers working other areas of the beach as well as officers from Miami police.
"At first everything was under control," Miami native Jovannae Sweeting told reporter Donna Rapado. "But then I guess when people tried to fight police, of course when the police were attacked other police tried to help them. It was crazy."
Video even captured people standing on top of cars.
The few troublemakers in the crowd annoyed the Spring Breakers just looking to chill on world famous Miami Beach.
"People that are here right now just wanna have fun," said Keyon McKay, visiting from Atlanta.
"It ruins it," said Keyona Poynter, also visiting from Atlanta. "It ruins the vacation because why you fightiing? We're supposed to be having fun. Why you fighting?"
Police arrested several people, though exactly how many is unclear right now.
Officer Ernesto Rodriguez told Rapado they were able to call off back up units within a couple of hours of the unrest.