Gov. DeSantis repeats warning against Spring Break ‘melee’ scenarios

Miami Beach braces for another weekend of bad behavior. Image via AP.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has a message to college rowdies who may be coming to Florida to party: If they get out of line, be prepared for force from the state.

In Miami Beach, DeSantis repeated his offer to provide state resources to avoid situations that have occurred in past years.

“Proactively, the state will provide resources that the city here needs to be able to ensure that Spring Break is not turned into some melee,” he promised.

“You should not even really know that it’s Spring Break or not because things should be orderly. So we’ll have resources that both Highway Patrol and Florida Department of Law Enforcement will be working with not just Miami Beach, but wherever in the state.”

The State Guard may be part of the solution, he added, for “probably a handful of spots” including Miami Beach.

DeSantis has already offered marching orders to the state’s chief law officers. During remarks to the Florida Sheriffs Association Conference, Gov. DeSantis told the law officers they should “do what you need to do” to maintain order during those days of seaside debauchery later this year.

“I know it’s not the same concern in every part of the state, but we’ve seen some of the things that have happened in other parts of Florida. I mean, we’ve seen things in Miami Beach. We have resources available. We want to work proactively with the local jurisdictions,” DeSantis said.

Indeed, 2023 saw incidents in Miami Beach, and the Florida Highway Patrol was eventually used to help keep order. In 2022, Miami Beach and Panama City Beach dealt with disorder as well.