Miami Beach’s iconic bar closes temporarily to protect staff after wild spring nights

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Miami Beach businesses keep their employees and customers safe. On Friday, the Clevelander restaurant and bar announced that they will close at least next week for safety reasons due to the wild spring crowd.

Iconic Clevelander released a note to employees on Friday afternoon, assuring them that they will be paid in full during the temporary closure.

“The situation has worsened enough that we are not comfortable asking our employees to come to work,” said Clevelander’s attorney Alexander Tachmes. He says they will meet next week to reevaluate the closure.

Miami Beach police say they are doing everything they can to keep people safe, as spring breakers have caused violence and chaos along the streets of South Beach.

News of a police patrol increase comes less than a day after a handful of streets on Ocean Drive, between Eight and Nine Streets, prompted police officers to shoot pepper balls to disperse a crowd into South Beach. Officers then detained at least three people, and Miami Beach firefighters responded to help a few injured.

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Miami Beach Police Department spokesman Ernesto Rodriguez says they are constantly expanding their presence and even using police personnel from various jurisdictions to help this month, as the spring break is in full swing.

“Officers from Miami-Dade, Coral Gables, Miami Gardens, we even have the correctional department here to help transport those arrested back to the prison unit,” Rodriguez said. “Along the way, we received additional support from the Florida Highway Patrol.”

According to officials, the temporary closure of MacArthur Street is a possibility in the near future if the situation in Miami Beach intensifies over the weekend.

“What begins as seemingly peaceful is growing rapidly and, unfortunately, people are hurt,” says Rodriguez.

“We have implemented measures to reduce any criminal activity, to tame crowds and to encourage people who are here to behave responsibly,” Rodriguez said. “If not, the message is clear – you will be arrested.”