New Orleans, Louisiana– National Guard deployment to New Orleans with permission President Donald Trump It will begin on Tuesday as part of a heavy security presence for New Year celebrations in a year Attack on revelers A riot on Bourbon Street left 14 dead, officials said Monday.
The deployment to New Orleans follows high-profile National Guard missions launched by the Trump administration in other cities this year, including in Washington and Memphis, Tennessee. But the sight of National Guard troops is not unusual in New Orleans, where earlier this year troops also helped bolster security for the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras.
“It’s no different than what we’ve seen in the past,” New Orleans Police spokesman Reese Harper said. “They’re not here for immigration purposes. They’re here for that extra layer of visibility. This is for visibility and to keep our citizens safe. It’s just another tool in the toolbox and another layer of security.”
Harper said the Guard is expected to be limited to the French Quarter area popular with tourists and will not be involved in assisting with immigration enforcement. Guardsmen will operate similarly to what happened earlier this year when they patrolled the surrounding area Bourbon Street Following the January 1 car ramming attack.
The 350-member Guard will remain throughout the Carnival season, when residents and tourists descend on the Big Easy to take part in costumed festivities and massive parades before ending with Mardi Gras in mid-February.
Louisiana National Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Noel Collins said in a written statement that the Guard will support law enforcement at the local, state and federal levels “to enhance capabilities, stabilize the environment, help reduce crime, and restore public trust.”
In all, more than 800 local, state and federal law enforcement officials will be deployed in New Orleans to close Bourbon Street to vehicular traffic, patrol the area, conduct bag searches and redirect traffic, city officials said during a news conference Monday.
The increased law enforcement presence comes a year later Shams al-Din Jabbar She drove her car around a police blockade in the early hours of January 1, then sped off down Bourbon Street, plowing into people celebrating New Year’s Day. the attackeran American citizen and army veteran, declared his support for The extremist Islamic State group On social media, he was shot dead by police after crashing. After an extensive search, law enforcement authorities found several bombs in coolers placed around the French Quarter. None of the explosive devices exploded.
In the immediate aftermath of the attack, 100 National Guard members were sent to the city.
In September, Governor Jeff Landry asked Trump to send 1,000 troops to Louisiana cities, citing concerns about crime. But Democrats pushed back, especially leaders in New Orleans who said the deployment was unjustified. They said the city has already seen a significant decline in violent crime rates in recent years.
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Klein reported from Baton Rouge.