Civil disturbances and military action in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina
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In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, looting, violence, and criminal activity became serious problems in the evacuated city of New Orleans.
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Breakdown of law and order
Looting
With the attention of the military police focused on rescue efforts, the security in New Orleans degraded quickly. By August 30, looting had spread throughout the city, often in broad daylight and in the presence of police officers. "The looting is out of control. The French Quarter has been attacked," Councilwoman Jackie Clarkson said. "We're using exhausted, scarce police to control looting when they should be used for search and rescue while we still have people on rooftops." Looters reportedly included gangs of armed gunmen, and gunfire was heard in various parts of the city. Along with violent, armed robbery of non-essential valuable goods, the majority of incidents were of residents simply gathering food and water and other essential commodities from unstaffed grocery stores. It is now even thought that police officers were involved in this same kind of looting. [1][2]Incapacitated by the breakdown of transportation and communication and overwhelmed in terms of numbers, police officers could do little to stop crime, and shopkeepers who remained behind were left to defend their property alone. [3]
Looting is common during natural disasters of this magnitude, partly because of the acute need for necessities like food, medicine, and water. The logistical difficulties of conducting law enforcement in disaster sitations and the preoccupation of the police with search-and-rescue and recovery efforts also create an opportunity to commit crimes without getting caught. A general atmosphere of lawlessness can contribute to the problem. Though research suggests that widespread looting in emergency situations such as the one in New Orleans is very rare except in impoverished areas and centers primarily on obtaining the essentials of survival.[4]
Rapes
There were multiple reports of rape in the aftermath of the hurricane, though the bulk of these stories were later reported to be false. [5]
Shootings
According to New Orleans Deputy Police Chief W. J. Riley, on September 4 police shot and killed five or six people walking on the Danziger Bridge. Initial reports said that the victims were Army Corps of Engineers contractors on their way to launch barges involved in the 17th Street Canal repair. Shortly afterwards, the initial report was retracted, and it was reported that the men shot by police were gunmen who had opened fire on the contractors. The Army Corps of Engineers also confirmed that its contractors were not killed by police, but gunmen who fired at them were killed. Original reports claim five killed, but later police confirm only two killed, two wounded and two arrested. [6] [7].
Other Reports of skirmishes
- "Sniper fire" reported throughout the city. [8]
- Some sniper fire directed at rescue helicopters is said to be motivated by resistance to relocation. [9]
- Wednesday 9/7: A raid by more than 100 officers and seven armored personnel carriers in housing project in Algiers on the west bank (south from dowtown) of Mississippi river results in the capture of a suspect claimed to have been firing on workers trying to restore cell phone towers. [10]
Possible Arson
As of September 3, 2005, the Saks Fifth Avenue anchor store in the city's massive Canal Place complex caught fire, spreading throughout the complex. The status of the Wyndham New Orleans at Canal Place, an integral part of the complex and an important refuge for evacuees, is currently unknown.
Effect on rescue efforts
Civil disturbances often hampered rescue efforts throughout New Orleans. In an interview on WDSU, Tulane University Medical Center spokeswoman Karen Troyer Caraway said efforts to evacuate the hospital were hampered due to looters. Caraway reported that looters in boats with guns had attempted to break into the hospital but were repelled by hospital staff. "If we don't have the federal presence in New Orleans tonight at dark, it will no longer be safe to be there, hospital or no hospital," Acadian Ambulance Services C.E.O. Richard Zuschlag told CNN. Several news sources reported instances of fighting, theft, rape, and even murder in the Superdome and other refuge centers [11].
On August 31, New Orleans's 1,500-member police force was ordered to abandon search and rescue missions and turn their attention toward controlling the widespread looting and a curfew was placed in effect. Mayor Ray Nagin called for increased federal assistance in a "desperate S.O.S." following the city's inability to control looting and was often misquoted as declaring martial law in the city, despite there being no such term in Louisiana state law (a declaration of a state of emergency was instead made). On the same day, Governor Kathleen Blanco announced the arrival of a military presence, stating that they "[knew] how to shoot and kill and [expected that] they [would]." Despite the increased law enforcement presence, crime continued to be problematic. Several armed attacks on relief helicopters, bus convoys, and police officers were reported, and fires erupted around the city at stores and a chemical storage facility. By September 1, 6,500 National Guard troops had arrived in New Orleans, and on September 2, Blanco requested a total of 40,000 for assistance in evacuation and security efforts in Louisiana. [12] [13] [14]
Regaining Control
On Thursday, September 1 Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco declares war on looters. Sending in 300 of the states National Guard troops fresh from duty in Iraq she says:
- "They have M-16s, and they're locked and loaded," "These troops know how to shoot and kill, and they are more than willing to do so, and I expect they will." [15]
By Sunday September 4 police and the National Guard have regained control of the downtown and business areas of the city.
On Monday, September 5 the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division is seen patrolling the French Quarter. [16]
Forced eviction
On Tuesday September 6 Mayor Ray Nagin ordered a forced eviction of everyone from the city who is not involved in clean up work. [17] It is still unclear whether the order was given in an attempt to restore law and order or because of the hazardous living conditions in the city.
On Friday September 9, 2005, NPR reported that door-to-door searches were being conducted to inform people that they must leave the city. Not everyone complied with demands. They are not yet being removed by force, but rescuers are anticipating that the military will soon do so. (See also [18].)
Resistance to eviction
Some residents want to stay to protect their property from looters or from eventual demolition by the authorities. Others stay to take care for pets. Some residents are upset at the government response to the crisis and are unwilling to comply with any government demands, either for that reason, or on general principle.[19] (See Criticism of government response to Hurricane Katrina.) Others presumably wish to take advantage of the situation to loot the city.
No group has yet come out to oppose Mayor Nagin's eviction policy. CNN however gives legal advice to would-be stragglers. [20]
Confiscation of firearms
- "Only law enforcement are allowed to have weapons."
- New Orleans Superintendent of Police Eddie Compass
- "No one will be able to be armed. We are going to take all the weapons."
- New Orleans Deputy Police Chief Warren Riley
- "The right of each citizen to keep and bear arms shall not be abridged, but this provision shall not prevent the passage of laws to prohibit the carrying of weapons concealed on the person."
- Louisiana Constitution, Article 1, Section 11
On September 8 local police, National Guard troops, and US Federal Marshalls were instructed by New Orleans police to perform house to house searches and confiscate all civilian held firearms. National Guard trooops armed with automatic rifles began entering all houses, occupied or not, and siezing firearms. Anyone refusing to yeild their arms was restrained, and their firearms confiscated. Siezures occurred not only in areas that were flooded, but also in neighborhoods that were untouched by floodwaters. Reports in the New York Times indicate that while private citizens were being forced to give up their firearms, private security guards on patrol were not. The National Rifle Association reported that over 100 firearms had been siezed, but that an exact count was not possible because in most cases there was no paperwork in evidence to track the seizures or to allow the owners to later reclaim their seized firearms.
- "What we’ve seen in Louisiana - the breakdown of law and order in the aftermath of disaster - is exactly the kind of situation where the Second Amendment was intended to allow citizens to protect themselves."
- National Rifle Association leader Wayne LaPierre
- "When you get 15 M-16s pointed at you and they line you up against the wall, it's kind of scary."
- Kajun's Pub owner JoAnn Guidos, who abandoned her business after having her firearms seized by US Federal Marshalls
This action received little news coverage, though reaction from groups such as the NRA, the Second Amendment Foundation, and Gun Owners of America was immediate and heated, and a lawsuit was filed September 22 by the NRA and SAF on behalf of two firearm owners whose firearms were seized. On September 23, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, operating out of Houma due to hurrican damage to their New Orleans facilities, issued a restraining order to bar further firearms confiscations. The NRA-ILA is currently reviewing disaster statutes in all 50 US states, seeking to enact laws to prevent the disarming of the population in similar emergency situations in the future.
It is not clear who originally gave the order to confiscate the firearms, but Superintendent of Police Eddie Compass was the highest authority to make a public announcement, and the NRA reported in a mailing to members that Mayor Ray Nagin was seeking to distance himself from the issue. Compass was already being criticized for underreporting of crime and a significant rise in the murder rate in the first half of 2005, and that criticisim increased after Katrina for his grossly exaggerated and unsubstantiated reports of the lawlessness in the city, particularly reports of beatings and child rape at the convention center. Compass announced his resignation (some reports state "retirement" rather than "resignation") on September 27. While the Mayor denies that Compass was forced to resign, Compass made comments to other members of the New Orleans police stating that he was forced out by the Mayor.
- Washington Post story on firearms confiscation.
- New York Times story on confiscation, reporting that armed private security guards were not being disarmed.
- Washington Times story on the court issued restraining order, preventing further firearms siezures.
Availability of National Guard troops
The availability and readiness of the Louisiana National Guard to help stabilize the security situation was called into question in the immediate aftermath of the flooding. Guardsman Lieutenant Colonel Pete had been interviewed on ABC affiliate WGNO-TV on August 1, and commented that "[d]ozens of high water vehicles, humvees, refuelers and generators [were] abroad" [21]. At the time of the hurricane, as noted by Nancy Lessin, a founder of mfso.org (Military Families Speak Out), around 3,000 members of the Guard were serving a tour of duty in Iraq; with total personnel strength of 11,000, this meant that 27% of the Louisiana National Guard was away [22]. More importantly, most of the members deployed were from the 256th Infantry Brigade, a unit based in New Orleans [23] and containing "engineering and support battalions specializing in disaster relief" [24]. However, both the White House and Pentagon argued that the depletion of personnel and equiptment did not impact the ability of the Guard to perform its mission--rather, impassable roads and flooded areas were the major factors impeding the Guardsmen from securing the situation in New Orleans.
Troops involved
The total number of US troops in the Katrina disaster area on Wednesday 9/7 is reported to be 63,000. [25] Of these 25,000 are in the New Orleans area under the command of Major General Ron Mason. In addition there are a large number of police units fron around the country.
Units of the following forces are involved:
- US 82nd Airborne Division from Fort Bragg, North Carolina (5,000 troops under Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell IV)
- Lousiana National Guard
- Oklahoma National Guard
- Oregon National Guard
- New Orleans Police Department (1000 officers, -500 deserters)
- Chicago Police Department
- September 4: USS Tortuga docks in New Orleans.
- The amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima is moored pier side next to the New Orleans Convention Center.
As of September 13, 2005, the U.S. Navy ships involved in Joint Task Force Katrina: [26]
- USS Tortuga (LSD 46) - New Orleans, La.
- USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7) - New Orleans, La.
- USNS Algol (T-AKR-287) - New Orleans, La.
- USNS Pollux (T-AKR-290) - New Orleans, La.
- USNS Altair (T-AKR-291) - New Orleans, La.
- USS Shreveport (LPD-12) - New Orleans, La.
- USNS Comfort (T-AH-20) - Pascagoula, Miss.
- USNS Arctic (T-AOE-8) - Jacksonville, Fla.
- USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) - Gulf of Mexico
- USS Bataan (LHD-5) - Gulf of Mexico
- USS Whidbey Island (LSD-41) - Gulf of Mexico
- USS Grapple (ARS-53) - Gulf of Mexico
- USS Swift (HSV-2) - Gulf of Mexico
- USS Defender (MCM-2) - Gulf of Mexico
- USS Scout (MCM-8) - Gulf of Mexico
- USS Pioneer (MCM-9) - Gulf of Mexico
- USS Gladiator (MCM-11) - Gulf of Mexico
- USNS Pililaau (T-AKR-304) - Gulf of Mexico
- USNS Patuxent (T-A0-201) - Gulf of Mexico
- USNS Bellatrix (T-AKR-288) - Gulf of Mexico
All Navy ships, except the USNS Pililaau (T-AKR 304), left New Orleans before the arrival of Hurricane Rita.
See also
- Effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans
- Posse Comitatus Act (regulates use of the military for domestic law enforcement)
- Greater New Orleans
- Civil protection
External links
- Barbara J. Stock: Was President Bush Forced to Use the Insurrection Act?
- Hurricane Katrina - Our Experiences By Paramedics Larry Bradshaw and Lorrie Beth Slonsky
- DAVID VEST: The Battle of New Orleans - It's Looking a Lot Like Fallujah
- War on the Poor in New Orleans 2: The Attempt to Declare Martial Law
- Prof. James Petras: The Militarization of New Orleans. From Victims to Vandals
- What Is Martial Law? And is New Orleans under it?
- Reports by BBC correspondent Matt Frei
- 82nd Airborne patrolling the French Quarter on Monday 9/5 (Real Media stream)
- Raid on suspected "looter" holdout in housing project 9/7
- New York Times 2005/09/29 "Fear Exceeded Crime's Reality in New Orleans"
