Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner launched an official investigation into Vendome nightclub after the venue played Kanye West’s antisemitic song “Heil Hitler” for a group of far-right influencers last weekend.
Meiner told NewsNation he wants answers beyond the club’s initial response.
“It’s a start. Certainly, it’s good to have that they’re recognizing there’s an issue here,” the mayor said Friday. “But I think that further investigation is warranted.”
The controversy erupted when videos showed Nick Fuentes, Andrew Tate, Tristan Tate, Myron Gaines and other influencers celebrating inside Vendome as the banned song blasted through speakers.
Footage captured the group receiving VIP treatment while the antisemitic anthem played during bottle service. Vendome owners fired three employees and banned the influencers permanently from the premises.
The club issued statements claiming they don’t condone antisemitism or hate speech. However, video evidence appears to show co-founder Jonathan Mansour standing directly next to the controversial group during the incident.
The influencers specifically requested the song, according to multiple witness accounts and social media posts from the evening. Andrew Tate later claimed on the PBD Podcast that he didn’t request the song or participate in singing along.
He blamed the incident on influencers seeking controversy for attention and views. Miami Beach Commissioner Joseph Magazine expressed “absolute and utter disgust” over the episode.
“Joking or mocking the deaths of millions of people is one of those unspoken societal lines you just don’t cross,” Magazine told the Miami Herald.
The incident occurred in a city where Jewish residents make up roughly 20 to 30 percent of the population. Commissioner David Suarez took a harsher stance, calling the influencers “a collection of grifters who confuse intimidation with masculinity and cosplay as neo-Nazis for attention.”
Florida’s legal framework provides several potential avenues for charges against the nightclub. The state’s 2024 antisemitism statute defines hate speech using International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance guidelines.
Florida Statute 1.015 specifically identifies “using symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism” as a form of discrimination. Recent Florida legislation elevated certain hate-motivated harassment from misdemeanors to third-degree felonies.
Incredible: A Miami club called Vendôme hosted the station's stars – Nick Fuentes, Sanico and Andrew Tate, among others, some of whom openly supported Nazis – and even made Kanye West's song "H*il Hit*er" available at their request. pic.twitter.com/1vxuVFondr
— Vegas ⚔️ (@vegasyx) January 18, 2026
House Bill 269 makes it a felony for groups to harass or intimidate people based on religion or ethnicity. The law targets public nuisances and antisemitic conduct in commercial settings.
Miami Beach’s business licensing regulations also give officials the power to review establishments that create public disturbances. The city can investigate whether Vendome violated its operating permits by hosting activities that promote hate speech or endanger public safety.
The Greater Miami Jewish Federation scheduled a meeting with Vendome ownership to address the antisemitic display. Vice President Josh Sayles said the organization wants to hear the club’s explanation before drawing final conclusions.
Mayor Meiner emphasized that Miami Beach won’t tolerate extremist behavior in its nightlife scene. “Antisemitism, hate speech, or the normalization of extremist ideology has no place in our Miami Beach community, our nightlife, or any public setting,” he stated on Facebook.
The investigation will examine whether criminal charges apply under Florida’s enhanced hate crime statutes.
