Mayor withdraws bid to revoke O Cinema lease after hours of public comment; commission to consider ‘fairness’ resolution

Mayor Minor withdrew a proposed measure to revoke O Cinema’s lease and city funding after more than three hours of public comment at the March 19 Miami Beach City Commission meeting.

Minor introduced what the agenda labeled C7AA late last week and said it was prompted by concerns about the Academy Award–winning documentary No Other Land and comments he said accompanied the film’s promotion. After a sustained public outcry from artists, civil liberties advocates and many Jewish and other residents, the mayor said on the record, “I am gonna withdraw C7AA, the revoking of the funding to O Cinema.” He also said a second measure he introduced — a resolution urging “fair and balanced” programming at the publicly leased cinema (R7G) — would remain under discussion.

Why it matters: O Cinema operates in space leased from the city and receives municipal support; the mayor framed his initial action as a public-safety and community‑cohesion concern. Opponents called the move censorship, argued the First Amendment prevents government penalties for viewpoint in programming, and said the city should not use its spending or landlord power to direct…