NEW ORLEANS — What had been a seemingly small and peaceful day-long protest in support of Palestine in New Orleans' Jackson Square escalated into violence as police tried to get the protesters to leave around 7 p.m. when the park closes daily.
The NOPD says 12 people were arrested and five officers suffered undisclosed injuries in the skirmish that seemed to break out as police tried to confiscate pool noodles and large letter that were apparently part of an unrelated marriage proposal earlier in the day.
Nearly two dozen protesters with a couple of tents had set up in the Square early Sunday and seemingly had plans to stay after dark. As police tried to get the protesters to leave, some of them put pool noodles on the spikes around the Square in an attempt to let others climb the fence safely and join the protest.
Police also tried to take some large letters from the earlier proposal and that's what led to the skirmish.
The protesters were either gone or had been taken away by 8:15 p.m., according to the WWL Louisiana crew on the scene.
One Palestinian man, who was not part of the protest, but said he witnessed it, said he is just as angry over what is happening in Gaza, but that the protesters got out of line.
“I saw some protesters pulling on a lot of the French Market doors. And, I saw two of them initiate violence," said Abdullah Falefel. Coming from a Palestinian who has family in the West Bank and Gaza, who have kind of been enslaved in a way and treated very unfairly, I am just as angry, but I believe in other ways of protesting.”
The NOPD said it was aided in the action in Jackson Square by the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office and Louisiana State Police.
There have been a number of protests in support of Palestine in New Orleans, some on college campuses and some large ones on the West Bank as well as in the Central Business District. It is uncertain who organized Sunday's protest or if they were involved in any of the previous protests.
Twelve protestors were arrested and charged with the following in this incident, according to NOPD:
- 28-year-old Carli Wayt
- Relative to Criminal Trespass.
- Battery on an Officer (2 Counts).
- (A) Hate Crime on Law Enforcement.
- Resisting an Officer by Force or Violence (2 Counts).
- Interfering with a Law Enforcement Investigation.
- 30-year-old Daniel Gibbs
- Criminal Trespass.
- Aggravated Battery on a Police Officer.
- (A.) Hate Crime on Law Enforcement.
- Resisting an Officer by Force or Violence
- Interfering with a Law Enforcement Investigation.
- 28-year-old Emorie Robert
- Criminal Trespass.
- Battery on a Police Officer.
- (A.) Hate Crime on Law Enforcement.
- Resisting an Officer by Force or Violence.
- Interfering with a Law Enforcement Investigation.
- 30-year-old Ellen Tracy
- Criminal Trespass.
- Resisting an Officer.
- Interfering with a Law Enforcement Investigation.
- 24-year-old Rylie Jack
- Criminal Trespass.
- Interfering with a Law Enforcement Investigation.
- 31-year-old Caitlin Cowlen
- Criminal Trespass.
- Interfering with a Law Enforcement Investigation.
- 32-year-old Gina Marie Guiloana
- Criminal Trespass.
- Interfering with a Law Enforcement Investigation.
- 37-year-old William Thomas
- Criminal Trespass.
- Interfering with a Law Enforcement Investigation.
- 26-year-old Liam Goering – Moore
- Criminal Trespass
- Interfering with a Law Enforcement Investigation.
- 26-year-old Sarah Workman
- Criminal Trespass.
- Interfering with a Law Enforcement Investigation.
- 26-year-old Alexander Hardy
- Criminal Trespass.
- Interfering with a Law Enforcement Investigation.
- 26-year-oldRachel Hood
- Criminal Trespass.
- Interfering with a Law Enforcement Investigation.
NOPD says that none of the arrested subjects offered residential addresses.
Mayor Cantrell released the following statement on the incident:
“I want to thank the members of the NOPD Eighth District for their service and professionalism during the Sunday, April 28 demonstration in Jackson Square,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “There are many peaceful protests that take place in the city, but when those demonstrations turn negative, our NOPD will do their job to de-escalate and restore order and make sure that constitutional policing takes place.
We send our support to the injured officers and their families. The four officers were medically treated and released from the hospital and are now recovering from their injuries. We also thank the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office and Louisiana State Police for their assistance in this law enforcement response.
It is never okay for any demonstrators to negatively attack our police officers when they are working to protect and serve our city. We are proud of the women and men in our police department, and we recognize their dedication and courage for the jobs they do every day and will continue to stand with them as they work to strive to make our city safe.”
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