Posted on 09/02/2005 10:22:39 PM PDT by MRMEAN
Police, residents loot New Orleans stores after storm
NEW ORLEANS - At first it just seemed that the Wal-Mart in New Orleans’ Lower Garden District was doing a very brisk post-hurricane business yesterday: The parking lot was full; people were leaving with brimming baskets; and city police and firefighters were there as if to oversee it all.
But people weren’t going through the front door. They were squeezing between boards meant to protect the now-shattered glass from Hurricane Katrina’s winds. One man was packing his van so full of computers, televisions and DVD players that he had trouble closing the rear doors. One woman was carrying three jugs of laundry detergent in a city with no power to run a washer.
As in other cities devastated by Hurricane Katrina, as in so many past disasters elsewhere when crisis and chaos have replaced order and normalcy, an already beleaguered New Orleans was beset by looters.
The widespread plundering started before Katrina had finished its onslaught yesterday. That afternoon, looters broke into an emptied sporting goods warehouse in Mid-City, a grocery store in Treme and a hardware center. In one instance, witnesses said, police were called but did nothing until one man shot another.
People said they’d heard that Wal-Mart had opened its doors to provide supplies for law enforcement agencies sheltering the 10,000-plus people in the Louisiana Superdome. A Wal-Mart spokeswoman, Sharon Weber, said that law enforcement, emergency management teams and relief agencies have "unwritten permission" to help themselves to whatever they need from Wal-Mart stores in times of crisis but that standard procedure is for the police or aid officials to "leave us a list of what they take, so they can pay us later."
At the Lower Garden District Wal-Mart, among the items seen being loaded into police cars were dozens of T-shirts, DVDs and dog food.
But when law enforcement officials went to get their goods, others - people of all ages and races - followed. "They just came, and no one could stop them," said David Brown, 38, a Port of New Orleans employee.
Brown and a co-worker were filling their vehicle with dozens and dozens of canned goods - stews and chilis and Spaghetti-O’s. Brown said the food would be used to feed the port’s police and its employees, many of whom, such as him, had worked nonstop since Saturday.
They were only taking essentials, he said, although a copy of Queen Latifah’s "Beauty Shop" movie had apparently made that list.
Brown said the work showed no sign of easing up soon.
"It’s pretty bad," he said, "They’ve been calling for body bags all day."
Most streets in New Orleans were empty yesterday except for the hub around the Wal-Mart, in a section of the city that remained dry. People were everywhere; in cars and trucks, pushing goods in carts and baby carriages, dragging full trash cans and laundry baskets. The steady stream of cars caused a traffic jam on the streets near the store - the type of traffic jam last seen here when people tried to evacuate.
"Is everything free?" asked a woman who pulled up in a red car. Hearing "yes," she started to chant, "TV! TV! TV!"
Inside, a teenage boy held up a pair of blue lacy panties and snickered, "I want to see somebody in these so bad," before tossing them in his basket.
Another man used a table to break into one of the last unscathed jewelry cases. A little girl balanced atop a cart filled with cases of beer.
A rumor that the National Guard had arrived sent people running toward the store’s exit, shouting, "Come on! Come on!" But no one put down any merchandise, and the Guard rumor turned out to be false.
Some shoppers were oddly selective. One woman said she was taking only facial-care products. Another was pushing a cart filled with silk roses and baby’s breath. In the pharmacy aisle, she leaned over the handle, pushing it slowly as she read labels the way a paying customer would.
But the overwhelming feeling was one of chaos - angry shouting, carts ramming, fast grabbing. When a teenage girl passed out face down between the baby clothes and a women’s sock display, people pushed past or stepped on her.
Joseph LoCascio, of Picayune, Miss., stopped to try to help the girl. He rolled her over, and she vomited pink liquid all over her face and hair. He then rolled her back.
"This is" messed "up," he said. "People just walking around like they don’t care. All they’re worried about is getting free bulls-- instead of a human life."
Check my tagline...
OMG...
Thugs and cowards, not the looters but 33 percent of the NO police force that ran. The good officers have been on TV castigating their "fellow officers" for running from the looters and turning in their badges. Some of these thugs were shown on tv looting stores and smiling about it. Dumb and dumber.
Quickly losing faith in my fellow man here.
Welcome to the viewpoint of the liberal welfare parasite.
I like it. "Undocumented consumers." Calling someone a "looter" is just so harsh.
It's pretty discouraging, but on the brighter side, I just saw an uplifting interview on Fox. Greta interviewed one Jabbar Gibson, a not very articulate young black man who's got more common sense than the governor and mayor and all their flunkies combined. He took a school bus from one of those big lots where they park them all, found the key in the damaged building, rounded up 70 people and drove them to Houston -- never driven a bus before, but he figured out how to do what he needed to do. Precious few gems like him in New Orleans, alas.
I understand that feeling. The sheer stupidity of some of the "politicians" on tv is amazing. The mayor of NO and the governor of LA screwed up royally so therefore the President is at fault according to them. Yep, makes sense to me. NOT
Perfect disaster waiting to happen. Poor city planning. Poor emergency planning. Impoverished, crime-ridden populace. corrupt police and incompent local government.
I saw it. He should get a medal.
I don't care if they ever rebuild this toilet.
She might be trying to get some soap to take bath of some sort. Looter logic is what it is.
I saw that interview and think the 18 year old was street wise beyond his years. The mayor and gov could take lessons from him.
Thanks for reminding me of this deal.
I understand your disgust, but that really is the wrong attitude. This city will be rebuilt in some fashion, just like Chicago, San Fran and Galveston. We don't judge society by the lowest common denominator.
On 20/20 they showed some kids--mixed races--playing smiling and playing touch football outside the Astro-Dome. It was Stossell's closing note after a horribe race baiting segment (I really admire the guy for trying to tack on some perspective after Maxine Waters non-productive spewing).
---Perfect disaster waiting to happen. Poor city planning. Poor emergency planning. Impoverished, crime-ridden populace. corrupt police and incompent local government.---
They'll get considerably better rebuilding the city, sort of like physical therapy for societies. People will be rebuilt, too.
all in one cleaner. bathing, clothes and dishwashing. you got to love her.
---I don't care if they ever rebuild this toilet.---
What a thing to say! People love that city. That'll come out once the shock is over.
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