Homeless people living on the streets in tents in Miami, near where actors Will Smith and Martin Lawrence have been filming Bad Boys 4, say police have removed them from their encampment due to ongoing production.
Several people told The Miami Herald how the agents insisted on moving them, along with all their belongings.
“It’s because of that new movie that’s being filmed,” Matthew Williams, 44, told the newspaper. ‘They moved us because we were too close to their set. They didn’t want the fancy movie people from out of town to see that there are homeless people in Miami.
The action film, approved by local officials, is expected to generate a $20 million boost to the local economy.
Homeless people in Miami living in roadside tents were forced to relocate by police due to the filming of Bad Boys 4, starring Will Smith, left, and Martin Lawrence.
Local 10 News cameras spotted Will Smith and Martin Lawrence filming scenes in Miami on Friday. Filming of the film caused traffic jams in the city’s Brickell neighborhood.
Columbia Pictures set aside $500,000 to pay for additional police support to manage traffic during the film’s four-day shoot in Miami.
In response to the removal of homeless tents, City of Miami Police Officer Michael Vega noted that erecting such items on city property was illegal and that officers were simply enforcing the law.
“It’s not that Miami police don’t want them to see the homeless population,” Vega said. “You can see it all over downtown Miami.”
He said the group was camped in a restricted area accessible only to those approved by the film crew and insisted there was no intention to “hide the homeless” from public view.
Before moving people, police say they always recommend shelters such as Camillus House, the Chapman Partnership center or the Salvation Army.
The film, approved by officials, is expected to contribute $20 million to the local economy. Pictured is one of the exciting car chase scenes.
Will Smith, left, and Martin Lawrence cross the street during filming.
“They are offered to go to a shelter and if they refuse, then they have to leave the place,” Vega said. “Before the officers tell them to move, they offer them help and most refuse to accept it.”
Williams used to work as a cook at a Bayside Marketplace restaurant before the cost of living simply became too high.
Felicia Evans, 55, who has been homeless for the past nine months and used to work as a nursing assistant, said the experience had been challenging after discovering that all three recommended shelters were full, leaving limited options. .
Despite seeking help from a social worker, she has still not found shelter and has had difficulty sleeping in her tent for fear of being robbed or hurt.
He said homeless people needed urgent help.
‘We don’t have many places to go. They’re filming for Will Smith and we can’t go that route. It’s hard. “I don’t know what the next steps will be because all the shelters are full,” Evans said.
Recently, the city of Miami had to pay $300,000 in compensation to four homeless people after getting rid of their belongings.
As part of the settlement, the city has now agreed to stop throwing out personal items and instead temporarily store them for owners to retrieve after first photographing them.
Hollywood good boys Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are on the set of Bad Boys 4 while filming at a local beach in Miami. The production spent $500,000 on police support, but has faced criticism for displacing homeless people.
In terms of the film, it has been exciting for both locals and tourists visiting the area to catch a glimpse of the film’s production, but it has also caused some traffic problems.
At times, busy streets had to be closed to allow the crew and actors to show chase scenes.
Production has brought an economic boost to the area, providing a variety of jobs since production resumed on February 26.
Directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah had planned to wrap it up during the summer, but production was abruptly halted after the actors’ strike began last July.
Principal photography on the film had been completed before the shutdown, but reshoots were necessary to complete the film.
Production is expected to wrap soon and then the rush to edit will begin.
The beloved franchise has focused on the antics and investigations of anti-narcotics agents Mike Lowry and Marcus Burnett as they take down some very dangerous criminals.
The film will be released on June 7, 2024 even though it was originally scheduled to hit theaters on July 3, 2019.