Homeless people living on the streets in tents in Miami near where actors Will Smith and Martin Lawrence filmed Bad Boys 4 say they have been moved from their camp by police because of the ongoing production.
Several people told me Miami Herald how the officers insisted on moving them, along with all their belongings.
“It’s because of this new movie that’s being shot,” 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 homeless people exist in Miami.”
The action film, approved by local officials, is expected to provide a $20 million boost to the local economy.
Homeless people in Miami living in roadside tents were forced to move by police due to the filming of Bad Boys 4 starring Will Smith (left) and Martin Lawrence
Local 10 news cameras spotted shots of Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in Miami on Friday. The filming led to traffic jams in the city’s Brickell neighborhood
Columbia Pictures set aside $500,000 to pay for additional police support to direct traffic during the four days of filming in Miami.
In response to the removal of homeless tents, City of Miami Police Officer Michael Vega noted that setting up such items on city property was illegal and that officers were simply enforcing the law.
“It’s not that the Miami police don’t want them to see the homeless,” Vega said. “They can see it all over downtown Miami.”
He said the group camped in a restricted area open only to those approved by the film crew, stressing that the intention was not to hide “the homeless” from the public.
Before people are transported, police say they always recommend shelters including 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 walk across the street during filming
“They are offered to go to a shelter and if they refuse, they have to leave the area,” Vega said. “Before the officers tell them to move, they are offered help, and most refuse to accept it.”
Williams used to work as a line 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 previously worked as a nursing assistant, said the experience was challenging after discovering that all three recommended shelters were full, leaving limited options.
Despite seeking help from a social worker, she has not yet found shelter and had difficulty sleeping in her tent for fear of theft or damage.
She said the homeless were in desperate need of help.
“We don’t have that many places to go. They’re filming for Will Smith, and we can’t go that way. It is difficult. 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 damages to four homeless people after they threw away their belongings.
As part of the settlement, the city has now agreed to stop disposing of personal belongings, instead temporarily storing them for owners to pick up after first photographing them.
Hollywood good guys Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are busy on the set of Bad Boys 4 as they film on a local beach in Miami. The production spent $500,000 on police support but was criticized for displacing the homeless
As for the film, it was exciting for both locals and tourists visiting the area to get a glimpse of the film’s production, but it also caused some traffic problems.
Busy streets sometimes had to be closed to allow the crew and actors to show chase scenes.
The manufacturing has given the area an economic boost and created a variety of jobs since production resumed on February 26.
Directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah had expected the film to be completed this summer, but production was abruptly halted after the actors’ strike began last July.
Principal photography on the film was completed before the shutdown, but reshoots were required to complete the film.
Production is expected to be completed soon, and then the rush for assembly will begin.
The beloved franchise has focused on the antics and investigations of narcotics officers Mike Lowry and Marcus Burnett as they take down some very dangerous criminals.
The film is scheduled for release on June 7, 2024, despite originally being released in theaters on July 3, 2019.