Miami police force homeless people to move away from film set for 'Bad Boys 4' ... trends now

Homeless people living on the street in tents in Miami, close to where actors Will Smith and Martin Lawrence have been shooting Bad Boys 4, say they have been moved from their encampment by police because of the ongoing production.

Several people told the Miami Herald how the officers insisted on moving them, together with all of their belongings.

'It's because of that new movie that's filming,' 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 seeing that homeless exist in Miami.'

The action movie, approved by local officials, is expected to bring a $20 million boost to the local economy.

Columbia Pictures set aside $500,000 to pay for additional police support in order to manage traffic during the four-day long film shoot in Miami. 

Responding to the removal of homeless tents, City of Miami Police Officer Michael Vega noted how the erecting of such items on city property was illegal, and that officers were simply enforcing the law.

'It is not that Miami Police doesn't want them to see the homeless population,' Vega said. 'They can see it through all of downtown Miami.'

He said the group were 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 along, police say they always they recommend shelters including Camillus House, the Chapman Partnership center, or Salvation Army.