After a night of protestors clashing with officers in downtown Miami that included burned cars and damage to shops in some areas, Miami-Dade County announced the delaying of beach reopenings that were scheduled for Monday.
Mayor Carlos Gimenez announced the decision late Sunday morning, adding the delay would continue until a curfew that was put into place Saturday night was lifted.
Miami Beach and Key Biscayne both announced their reopenings would be delayed as well.
Beaches were scheduled to be reopened in the county after months of closures due to the coronavirus pandemic, coming after Broward County reopened their beaches following closures dating back to the middle of March.
Pools at several parks, including Goulds Park, A.D. Barnes Park and Oak Grove Park, will reopen as scheduled while hotels will also be able to expand accommodations as scheduled.
Miami-Dade Police confirmed that 57 arrests had been made as a result of the protest by the end of Saturday night with the most common charge being curfew violation.
Protestors began marching near the Torch of Friendship earlier in the day before making their way onto a busy I-95, shutting down the expressway in both directions. The Rickenbacker Causeway was shut down as well by city officials as a precaution due to the protests.
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Tensions escalated when police began firing tear gas and pepper spray at a crowd outside the City of Miami Police Department. As evening rolled in, protestors were then seen throwing objects at police and setting cars on fire.
City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said the tear gas was fired after officers witnessed two vehicles being looted and vandalized by protestors. He said that other than the gas, there was no clash between protestors and police.
