New Orleans city leaders were warned in a 2019 confidential physical security assessment that Bourbon Street was vulnerable to a vehicle-ramming attack.

Summary

A vehicle-ramming and gunfire attack on New Orleans’ Bourbon Street on New Year’s Day killed 14 and injured dozens, carried out by Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who supported ISIS and was killed by police.

A 2019 security report had warned that inoperable bollards made the area vulnerable to such attacks.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell stated the city was renovating these barriers ahead of the Super Bowl, but they were incomplete.

Critics argue systemic traffic control measures are needed, as current plans failed to prevent the attack.

Authorities warn of potential copycat incidents.

  • rumba@lemmy.zipEnglish
    2·
    3 days ago

    New Orleans absolutely would be low hanging fruit to fix that. They can install some automated bollards. And they absolutely should. But then protests, marches, parades. At some point we’re going to need to stop public gathering in unprotected areas. This will come to a head when it comes down to spending serious amounts of money for infrastructure changes to protect protesters vs enacting laws that seem to quell free speech.