Daytona Beach Enacts Youth Curfew; Special Event Zone Set

Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry on Wednesday enacted an emergency weeklong curfew to respond to the effects of spring break tourism on the city. The Daytona Beach City Commission approved Henry’s action unanimously at their meeting on Wednesday. The curfew takes effect on Friday at 5:00 p.m. It’s currently set to remain in place until Thursday, March 26. The policy applies to anyone under 18 years old, prohibiting them from being out in public unaccompanied by an adult. Concerns have arisen in Volusia County in recent days over the concentration of partygoers in Daytona Beach and the ensuing logistical and safety concerns. The Volusia Sheriff’s Office alone claimed to have made 133 arrests last weekend alone. “This weekend many of us were deeply disturbed by the youth invasion event that took place in Daytona Beach,” Mayor Henry posted to his Facebook account this week. “What happened was unacceptable and it disrupted the safety and peace that our residents, businesses, and visitors deserve.” Daytona’s spring break ‘takeovers’ are large gatherings planned largely outside of conventional permitting processes. Local government and safety leaders have reacted strongly to these, after one created a brief panic on the beach. This week a stampede was caused after crowds of people believed they heard gunfire breaking out in broad daylight. According to Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood, the commotion was caused by someone crushing a water bottle, creating a sound that some mistook for gunshots. At that incident, the Volusia Sheriff’s Office had some 50 deputies deployed, Chitwood said. The sheriff himself was also on-scene, and said he dealt exclusively with polite beachgoers. Starting at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, a special event zone in Daytona Beach is going into effect. Sheriff Chitwood established the area under a Florida law that empowers local law enforcement to enact stricter penalties on those found to have committed civil or criminal violations within the zone’s boundaries. The special event zone covers the beachside area of Daytona Beach that spans from University Boulevard to Silver Beach Avenue. Fines are doubled in the zone while it’s in effect. “I, along with this Commission, fully support exploring and implementing a special event zone or similar measures moving forward,” Henry continued. “During last night’s meeting, all seven members of the Commission expressed unanimous support for the Chief to implement a district whenever it is deemed necessary in the interest of public safety.”