NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – New Orleans City Council mulls new regulations for second lines Sunday’s fatal shootingbut critics say the city is encroaching on their cultural traditions.

Although several ideas have been proposed, many community members believe certain policies could infringe on their freedom of expression.

A passionate crowd of second-line club members gathered at City Hall on Nov. 20 to voice their concerns over what they see as an attack on their culture.

“The Second Line was born because we were not allowed to enter the front line,” said one participant.

“All you’re going to do is criminalize our community and criminalize our color,” another attendee told council members.

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“I will not sit back and remain silent when you kill my culture and punish us for something we pay you a job to do. It’s not our fault,” second row club member Tamika Calvin said.

The shooting on Sunday, November 17, left two people dead and 11 injured along a second-line road, prompting calls for action.

“It was really senseless and brazen,” said Captain Jennifer Dupree of the Fifth District.

“They are hijackers. These are people taking advantage of a wonderful event,” added NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick.

However, Councilor Oliver Thomas expressed support for preserving second-line traditions.

“You’re no longer going to control the narrative. You’re not going to stop our traditions,” Thomas said.

Critics of the proposed rules have cited broader societal issues, such as racial disparities, lack of investment in education, tough crime laws, gentrification and parental disengagement, as factors contributing to violence .

“I thought we had 100 officers on duty,” questioned one participant.

“Do your job. Protect us. We need you all to spread out in the crowd,” Calvin said.

Superintendent Kirkpatrick emphasized that violence is not a second-line problem.

“We don’t view this as a linebacker issue,” Kirkpatrick said. “This type of violence can happen during any type of major event. »

Thomas said stakeholders, including second-line representatives, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Economy, the Criminal Justice Committee and the Mardi Gras Advisory Committee, are developing recommendations.

Guardrails Thomas mentioned as considerations:

– Duration, location, size and time of parades

– Club fees compared to Mardi Gras community fees, making them fair

– Firearm Handling and Open Carry Laws

– Community policing

– Dispersal of crowds and clubs amid incidents

– Prevention of violence through police social networks

– Public Service Announcements

– Staff numbers, addition of deputies and constables

– Distribute the police along the route

– Establish rules for parades of different sizes

– Manage parades with floats and vehicles

“We’ve done a good job handling violence, whether it’s the Super Bowl, Mardi Gras or Jazz Fest. When we face isolated incidents like this, we cannot allow people to stereotype us,” Thomas said.

One proposed solution is to form a second-line committee.

Calvin, like many second-line members, is opposed to the city imposing restrictions. She said second-line clubs invest in the community and pay the city, which benefits from the culture.

Calvin also linked the tradition to its historical roots.

“It goes back to the days when slave owners went to church on Sundays and African Americans gathered on Congo Square to sing and dance,” Calvin said. “It was our only moment of freedom, and if we impose restrictions on it, we will go back to where we came from.”

She highlighted how clubs work to prevent crime through positive, family-friendly events.

“It’s so deeply ingrained in us. It’s like something is taking over my soul. You just want to let it out,” said linebacker Charlie Brown.

The NOPD emphasized that the goal of any change is safety, not oppression.

They highlighted the difficulties encountered during Sunday’s chaos, including members of the crowd who blocked emergency services.

“A lot of cars park. They park in the middle of the street. They are blocking us. I’m trying to get there with lights and sirens, and I have a lady twerking in front of me,” Dupree said. “It was really scary for us not to be able to help (the victims).”

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