USA: ”Midnight curfew starting Saturday in Miami could mean citations, fines for late-nighters”

MIAMI, Fla. – Police will be out enforcing the citywide curfew in Miami this weekend. On Friday night, Miami police will start giving out warnings and making businesses aware that they are going to be enforcing the curfew again. Those who do not want to comply, the business will be shut down for 24 hours and issued a $500 fine.

Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina said that the idea is to keep people safe and that it isn’t meant to punish people.

“Essentially Saturday is probably when we’ll really go out and start enforcing the curfew, which will be from midnight to 6 a.m.,” Colina said.

Colina said the protocol will be to first give the businesses a chance to close voluntarily.

“If not . . . if we have to shut them down, of course, we will. (It) is a $500 fine and a hard closure for 24 hours. Obviously, that’s not what we want to do,” Colina said.

After largely ignoring the curfew, city leaders voted Thursday to begin enforcing it again after health officials pleaded in desperation to help stop the spread of COVID-19.