A looter carries a bucket of beer out of a grocery store in New Orleans on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005, as floodwaters continue to rise in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina made landfall on Monday. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
Posted on 08/30/2005 12:59:42 PM PDT by LM_Guy
NEW ORLEANS — With much of the city flooded by Hurricane Katrina, looters floated garbage cans filled with clothing and jewelry down the street in a dash to grab what they could.
In some cases, looting today took place in full view of police and National Guard troops.
At a Walgreen's drug store in the French Quarter, people were running out with grocery baskets and coolers full of soft drinks, chips and diapers.
When police finally showed up, a young boy stood in the door screaming, "86! 86!" — the radio code for police — and the crowd scattered.
Denise Bollinger, a tourist from Philadelphia, stood outside and snapped pictures in amazement.
"It's downtown Baghdad," the housewife said. "It's insane. I've wanted to come here for 10 years. I thought this was a sophisticated city. I guess not."
Around the corner on Canal Street, the main thoroughfare in the central business district, people sloshed headlong through hip-deep water as looters ripped open the steel gates on the front of several clothing and jewelry stores.
One man, who had about 10 pairs of jeans draped over his left arm, was asked if he was salvaging things from his store.
"No," the man shouted, "that's EVERYBODY'S store."
Looters filled industrial-sized garbage cans with clothing and jewelry and floated them down the street on bits of plywood and insulation as National Guard lumbered by.
Mike Franklin stood on the trolley tracks and watched the spectacle unfold.
"To be honest with you, people who are oppressed all their lives, man, it's an opportunity to get back at society," he said.
A man walked down Canal Street with a pallet of food on his head. His wife, who refused to give her name, insisted they weren't stealing from the nearby Winn-Dixie supermarket. "It's about survival....
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
A looter carries a bucket of beer out of a grocery store in New Orleans on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005, as floodwaters continue to rise in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina made landfall on Monday. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
Sounds to me like these are the people who victimize society every day of the year.
Not that I support it, but I can certainly have mercy if they were just taking food or some necessity item. But trash buckets of clothes and jewelry. Ruthless is how the MS Gov. said they would deal with their looters, maybe LA ought to do the same.
NOLA has always, always, had a crime problem...we all know what the highwater brings out.
Still a wonderful city, and what has happened to it...it a tragedy.
Shoot to kill the scumbags.
Open Season on Looters!!!
Just taking some essential provisions - Heineken, Xanax, Courvoisier, maybe a 3-finger ring.
12 GA means Go Away!
Time to shoot a few looters.
End of looting.
It's all about the beer.
Quote from a Cindy Sheehan supporter
Well, this fellow must really enjoy beer.
Probably has the IQ of a toaster-oven - but then that's being insulting to toaster-ovens.
Where are the cops? Aren't looters supposed to be arrested or shot?
April 29, 1992. . .
The gems of society, human POS, will be out in force, it's the oppressed chance to get back at society. It is that Jesse Sharpton mind-set.
You don't see either reverend down there do you? POS.
Gotta love Haley Barbour!
And this is only after one day.
What on earth is it going to be like come Friday?
Witnessing this behavior just solidifies my resolve in maintaining a stock of at-home provisions. In fact, I think I'll pick up some more supplies and ammo on the way home - these people are proving that it can't hurt to be extra-prepared for looting criminal thugs.
At least he has his priorities in order.
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