Miami Beach Mayor Rescinds Proposal to Evict O Cinema and Withdraw Funding

Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner fought back tears Wednesday morning as he announced he'd withdraw his plan to evict O Cinema and revoke outstanding funding from the arthouse theater in response to its decision to screen No Other Land. The mayor also said he'd defer discussion of his alternative resolution, a proposal introduced Tuesday night encouraging O Cinema to show a film about the October 7 attacks from the Israeli perspective.

His surrounding commissioners, most of whom spoke against Meiner's initial proposal, patted his back as he announced his decision.

"I'm trying not to get emotional," the mayor said, "but I legitimately view this as a public safety threat — not immediately. I don't think anyone in Miami Beach is going to get hurt or attacked because this movie is being shown."

"What I was trying to do was highlight a level of hurt and what propaganda — yes, it all needs to be heard — but a level of propaganda that eventually can lead to devastation," the mayor added as his voice shook.

Nevertheless, the mayor announced he'd revoke his initial resolution. His announcement was met with claps in the room as he added, perhaps with the knowledge that this story has gone global, "Even though some of you said some things [that] were hurtful, I love you all.  I really, really do. We're all Americans, we're all proud to be in this country, it is a great country, and I really just want what's best for us, our city, and our country, and the world. God Bless."

Meiner's decision came after more than two hours of public comment from members of the local film community, Greater Miami, and many in the Jewish community of Miami Beach.

The vast majority spoke out against the resolution to evict O Cinema and rescind its funding from the city. But there were a handful of supporters — among these were Hialeah Mayor Esteban Bovo and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, both of whom called in virtually to back Meiner and his resolution. Suarez was shouted down by the crowd in the room. "The fact that I'm speaking and everyone is shouting at the time that I'm speaking means that it seems like they want to censor me," Suarez said.

Maor Elbaz-Starinsky, the Consul General of Israel Miami, also spoke in support of the mayor's resolution, though he acknowledged, "O Cinema have been good partners, and they have shown Jewish films and films about the Holocaust and Israel things." A person in the crowd lifted up a Palestinian flag on his phone as Elbaz-Starinsky spoke about the responsibility of institutions "to show the full pictures and the context that we are in." The crowd began to shout him down, and he closed by calling "the chanters in the back" "antisemites."

One self-proclaimed "first-time snowbird" said she first learned of O Cinema's existence while perusing the catalog for the Jewish Film Festival. Another woman introduced herself as the wife of a Palestinian man and the mother of three Palestinian daughters. "It has been hard as a mother to see part of my children's identity treated as controversial," she said. "We hear a lot about Palestinians here, but rarely from them." She spoke about how meaningful it was for her to see No Other Land screened in Miami Beach, adding, "Censoring this film and threatening to shut down O Cinema not only stifles free speech — it tells families like my own that their stories don't matter. But they do, and this city should not be in the business of erasing them."

Documentary filmmaker Billy Corben also chimed in, saying, "Once again, the humiliating misconduct of this government has made the city an embarrassing international laughingstock." He also added what appeared to be veiled references to sexual harassment allegations against Mayor Meiner. "Mister Mayor, please, stop your unwanted advances on the constitutional rights of O Cinema," he said. "You are getting a little too handsy with their programming decisions. Your inappropriate touching of their curation decisions has got to end."

After about two hours of public comment (spare a thought for those who showed up to speak on other matters, including one woman who called in virtually to speak about getting ripped off by a towing company), commissioners weighed in.

Commissioner David Suarez spoke first. "If this film were playing at Regal Cinemas, we wouldn't be talking about this right now," he said. "But when it's being shown on taxpayer-subsidized government venues with public funds, that's not free speech, it's government policy.

"This film isn't just another perspective — it's a megaphone for Hamas sympathizers," he added. Suarez was the only commissioner to speak in support of Mayor Meiner's initial proposal to evict O Cinema and revoke its funding.

Commissioners Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, Laura Dominguez, Alex Fernandez, Tanya Bhatt, and Josephine Magazine all indicated they'd oppose the mayor's proposal. Some proposed other ways to tackle the debacle. Bhatt said the city should let O Cinema proceed with its programming independently, but she also suggested the city hold its own event — perhaps a film festival — to screen films and give voice to speakers from both the Israeli and Palestinian perspectives.

Rosen Gonzalez confirmed she opposed Mayor Meiner's resolution and suggested he overreached. But she also characterized O Cinema's decision to add screenings and raise funds in the wake of the controversy as "antagonistic." In the end, she asked the mayor to rescind both resolutions.

Meiner announced his decision to rescind only the first resolution. In a show of goodwill, the mayor and commissioners posed for a group photo with members of O Cinema and the community who'd gathered to speak at the meeting.

Watch the meeting, including public comments from the mayor, commissioners, and constituents, here: