Posted on 09/09/2005 8:13:25 AM PDT by 300magnum
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Soldiers and police confiscated guns from homeowners as they went house to house, trying to clear the shattered city of holdouts because of the danger of disease and fire. Police on Friday also marked homes with corpses inside, with plans to return later.
As many as 10,000 people were believed to be stubbornly staying put in the city, despite orders from Mayor Ray Nagin earlier this week to leave or be removed by force. By midmorning, though, there were no immediate reports of anyone being taken out forcibly, police said.
Police are "not going to do that until we absolutely have to. We really don't want to do that at all," Deputy Chief Warren Riley said.
Some residents who had previously refused to leave - whether because they wanted to protect their homes from looters, they did not want to leave their pets behind, or they simply feared the unknown - are now changing their minds and asking to be rescued, police said. "They realize they're not going to this awful situation like the Superdome or the Convention Center," Riley said. "As days go by, it seems less and less likely that we'll have to force anyone."
He added: "I don't know of any incidents where people are being bellingerent."
Police and soldiers seized numerous guns for fear of confrontations with jittery residents who have armed themselves against looters.
"No one will be able to be armed. We are going to take all the weapons," Riley said.
Thomas say forced evacuations would be a mistake.
On Thursday, in the city's well-to-do Lower Garden District, a neighborhood with many antebellum mansions, members of the Oklahoma National Guard seized weapons from the inhabitants of one home. Those who were armed were handcuffed and briefly detained before being let go.
"Walking up and down these streets, you don't want to think about the stuff that you're going to have to do, if somebody's pops out around a corner," said one of the Guardsmen, Chris Montgomery.
Police also went door-to-door checking for bodies or anyone in need of rescue. Houses where corpses were found were marked so that authorities could go back later.
"Is there a constitution and or gun rights PING I can get on?? "
I am sure there is but I don't know hao to get on it. Sorry.
Please do NOT absolve that drooling moron Nagin from his part in the utter failure of State and City government to do its job. He's at least as culpable as Blanco; probably more so. New Orleans was his sole responsibility. Blanco is responsible for the entire State.
Both were totally incompetent and derelict in their duties.
Nagin the Noggin declares Martial Law
No official letter, just a new release. FWIW
Build their gallows high
It's being done under the authority of "I'm sticking an MP-5 in your face and if I shoot you down stone cold dead where you stand NOTHING will be done to me."
That's all the authority any tyrant really needs.
Although I suspect that some people are going to come out of this with much nicer gun collections than they had before.
Look at who said it.
Assistant Chief Riley.
That's city or parish official, not a federal one.
The question is, who gave the order?
In the unlikely event that I'd comply with this nonsense, I'd demand a receipt for each one-- that is if I wasn't Dead Right There (which would be a definite possibility, FMCDH)
On TV last night, I saw police taking out an older woman by force. She had a pistol in her hand. She left with them.
Check out post #38!
Yeah,that's the lady (?) I saw last night on TV, shoving a gun around and getting forced out of her home.
The term "martial law" does not turn up in a cursory online search of the Louisiana State law.
Searched for it here.
I feel the only political outcome will be her political demise. I sure hope so. That's a crime family, as far as I'm concerned.
Mr Mojo has an armed citizen ping list. You can FRmail him if you want on it.
Yes I can say martial law. And since we can agree that no Federal authority has declared it, my "can you say lawsuit" comment stands.
Mr. Nagin should learn that a press conference does not make it official, any more than screaming at the camera for help makes it official. There has to be an official paper trail.
Yep.
I want their names on my desk by the end of the week. I want to compare them with the roster of registered Democrat voters before next year's election.
It would be VERY interesting.....
The left is trying to avoid that paper trail, while at the same time trying to force a Constitutional crisis in the midst of this crisis. At least it appears that way to me.
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