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| Cops, firefighters join New Orleans looting | |||
| 2005-08-31 | |||
| Law enforcement efforts to contain the emergency left by Katrina slipped into chaos in parts of New Orleans Tuesday with some police officers and firefighters joining looters in picking stores clean. At the Wal-Mart on Tchoupitoulas Street, an initial effort to hand out provisions to stranded citizens quickly disintegrated into mass looting. Authorities at the scene said bedlam erupted after the giveaway was announced over the radio. While many people carried out food and essential supplies, others cleared out jewelry racks and carted out computers, TVs and appliances on handtrucks.
Officers claimed there was nothing they could do to contain the anarchy, saying their radio communications have broken down and they had no direction from commanders. âWe donât have enough cops to stop it,â an officer said. âA mass riot would break out if you tried.â
Throughout the store and parking lot, looters pushed carts and loaded trucks and vans alongside officers. One man said police directed him to Wal-Mart from Robertâs Grocery, where a similar scene was taking place. A crowd in the electronics section said one officer broke the glass DVD case so people wouldnât cut themselves. âThe police got all the best stuff. Theyâre crookeder than us,â one man said. Most officers, though, simply stood by powerless against the tide of law breakers. One veteran officer said, âItâs like this everywhere in the city. This tiny number of cops canât do anything about this. Itâs wide open.â At least one officer tried futilely to control a looter through shame. âWhen they say take what you need, that doesnât mean an f-ing TV,â the officer shouted to a looter. âThis is a hurricane, not a free-for-all.â Sandra Smith of Baton Rouge walked through the parking lot with a 12-pack of Bud Light under each arm. âI came down here to get my daughters,â she said, âbut I canât find them.â
Toni Williams, 25, packed her trunk with essential supplies, such as food and water, but said mass looting disgusted and frightened her. âI didnât feel safe. Some people are going overboard,â she said. Inside the store, one woman was stocking up on make-up. She said she took comfort in watching police load up their own carts. âIt must be legal,â she said. âThe police are here taking stuff, too.â | |||
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #17 I live about 60 miles east of Los Angeles. Let me tell you, when the tribes (and I mean all of 'em) went looting a few years back - it was a huge embarrasement - and not nearly enough got their rightfull desserts. |
| Posted by: Robjack 2005-08-31 23:56 |
| #16 Can you say Fort Hood, home of the Apache Training Brigade? |
| Posted by: Poison Reverse 2005-08-31 15:22 |
| #15 And Harris county is the execution capital of the US. |
| Posted by: Laurence of the Rats 2005-08-31 14:30 |
| #14 shift the problem to Houston and they can fill in for all the crap they couldn't loot in New Orleans I'm thinking the Houston cops would handle the situation a little differently. Plus, Texas is a concealed carry state. |
| Posted by: Steve 2005-08-31 14:24 |
| #13 This whole problem with looting in New Orleans is an embarrassment. Some other outhouse country I'd understand, but the U.S.? I'd be hard-pressed to muster up any sympathy for looters if the cops decide to start shooting them. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2005-08-31 13:48 |
| #12 Like a septic tank, the big chuncks float to the top. |
| Posted by: Slereger Slitle6846 2005-08-31 12:43 |
| #11 The looting problem will abate... shift the problem to Houston and they can fill in for all the crap they couldn't loot in New Orleans. While they are at it, the NOPD can provide police escort for the "refugees" getting acquainted with Houston. Too bad the real victims have to get caught up in the middle of the human trash. The looters? They ain't Americans... they are trash that didn't get flushed. |
| Posted by: Fun Dung Poo 2005-08-31 11:55 |
| #10 âIt must be legal,â she said. âThe police are here taking stuff, too.â Pretty much the New Orleans city motto, to be honest. Ah, the Big Easy: only place I've ever seen a hoodie dealing crack on the steps of a police department in broad daylight! |
| Posted by: Secret Master 2005-08-31 11:27 |
| #9 New Orleans has always walked a thin line between order and chaos. Chaos will rule for a while, I guess; the challenge for law enforcement will be to make sure it's just the locals getting chaotic and not mafiosos or islamists... |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2005-08-31 09:27 |
| #8 Rafael hits the nail on the head. This crowd will not be returned to order. The populace of New Orleans susceptible to authority listened to those authorities days ago and left town. So who's left? Those too poor to get out or too unruly to take orders. Not a good combination for maintaining order. As CA notes, the authorities in NO are quite unconcerned about anything other than the immediate preservation of life. Thus, they have probably told police not to put their lives in jeopardy unless they are trying to save the life of another. I can't really argue with this, except that at some point, once the forces of order have retreated from the defence of property, they will have difficulty sustaining the defence of life from the unleashed forces of disorder. Bottom line is that these are trying times in NO with no easy answers. |
| Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2005-08-31 08:08 |
| #7 I imagine one officer firing his pistol in the air, once, could bring considerable attention to the next 20 or so words he'd utter I doubt it. He might even get a few rounds tossed his way. |
| Posted by: Rafael 2005-08-31 04:19 |
| #6 Any cops participating in the looting should be shot twice. |
| Posted by: Chris W. 2005-08-31 01:26 |
| #5 This getting ugly: "Children's Hospital under seige" Tuesday, 11:45 p.m. Late Tuesday, Gov. Blanco spokeswoman Denise Bottcher described a disturbing scene unfolding in uptown New Orleans, where looters were trying to break into Children's Hospital. Bottcher said the director of the hospital fears for the safety of the staff and the 100 kids inside the hospital. The director said the hospital is locked, but that the looters were trying to break in and had gathered outside the facility. The director has sought help from the police, but, due to rising flood waters, police have not been able to respond. Bottcher said Blanco has been told of the situation and has informed the National Guard. However, Bottcher said, the National Guard has also been unable to respond. |
| Posted by: crazyhorse 2005-08-31 01:01 |
| #4 How soon do the looters that destroyed their local shops think the stores will be restocked? Better start putting out fishing line into the flood waters, dumbasses. |
| Posted by: ed 2005-08-31 00:58 |
| #3 Just wait until they need food/water and don't have it because that jewelry was so shiny to them. I won't be crying for N.O. citizens who went for material possesions over survival. |
| Posted by: Charles 2005-08-31 00:54 |
| #2 New Orleans has the most corrupt police in the country. It seems the people and police of N.O. deserve each other. |
| Posted by: ed 2005-08-31 00:48 |
| #1 The N.O. police commissioner was interviewed by Sean Hannity tonight, and Sean asked the commissioner if they were going to get tough on looters. The commissioner seemed disturbingly passive about the matter. It was not until Sean pointed out the difference between looting food and clothing versus televisions and jewelry that the commissioner said they might have to get tough...so much for law enforcement. It was disturbing watching parents bringing their kids into broken-in stores to loot. |
| Posted by: Captain America 2005-08-31 00:30 |