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Posted: 2021-03-15T19:07:20Z | Updated: 2021-03-16T19:16:17Z

Hundreds of spring breakers have been arrested in Miami Beach over the past several days as authorities crack down on unruly partyers, including some who were filmed dancing on police cruisers and mobbing streets in defiance of COVID-19 safety protocols.

Police have made hundreds and hundreds of arrests, Mayor Dan Gelber told local media, and he promised a terrible time for other lawbreakers.

The roundup followed a disturbing Friday night when police used pepper balls to disperse very large crowds that were throwing bottles at officers near Ocean Drive in South Beach, the police department said on Twitter.

Cellphone video showed officers body-slamming a man on a sidewalk during the mayhem. The man, identified by CBS Miami as 19-year-old James Harrison, from New York, was charged with two counts of battery on a police officer. Two officers were injured while attempting to detain the man and taken to a hospital, police said.

Following Fridays unruly behavior and bottle-throwing attack on our police, last night I joined @MiamiBeachPD @RClementsMBPD as he engaged w/ representatives from the @MiamiBeachBiz, the Governors regional rep, the Department of Justice, & Miami-Dades Goodwill Ambassadors. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/BPmj6XAmgL

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Following Fridays unruly behavior and bottle-throwing attack on our police, last night I joined @MiamiBeachPD @RClementsMBPD as he engaged w/ representatives from the @MiamiBeachBiz , the Governors regional rep, the Department of Justice, & Miami-Dades Goodwill Ambassadors. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/BPmj6XAmgL

Alex Fernandez (@alexjfernandez) March 14, 2021

The revelries and arrests continued into the weekend. Police on Saturday reported they stopped a vehicle with a woman riding on top of it, leading to citations.

Police didnt respond to HuffPosts request for updated arrest figures.

We dont want the altercations, we dont want the arrests, but if we have to, we will, because we have to have some measure of control over our environment, Gelber told TV station 7News on Saturday.

Gelber, in a separate interview with CBS Miami , said law enforcement is operating with a no-tolerance policy.

Weve got too many people coming, weve got too many people acting out and we have COVID at the same time, so its a triple threat, Gelber said. If youre coming here because you think anything goes, youre going to have a terrible time. Were going to arrest you.

About last night Dancing on a police car. @MiamiBeachNews crazy! #MiamiBeach #Southbeach #miami pic.twitter.com/zOH3IIhcFz

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About last night Dancing on a police car. @MiamiBeachNews crazy! #MiamiBeach #Southbeach #miami pic.twitter.com/zOH3IIhcFz

UrbanYap (@UrbanYap) March 13, 2021

Florida does not have a mask mandate and its Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, in September lifted all coronavirus restrictions on restaurants and other businesses. He also banned cities and counties from fining people who do not observe social distance or wear face masks. Miami Beach had been enforcing such penalties.

The city last week extended a state of emergency declaration related to the coronavirus pandemic through Wednesday. This declaration imposes a midnight curfew.