Following the tragic New Year’s Eve terror attack in New Orleans, Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser voiced frustration with the city’s leadership, particularly its preparedness. He specifically questioned the absence of bollards meant to secure Bourbon Street, directly criticizing Mayor LaToya Cantrell.
In multiple interviews, Nungesser, a Republican and the state’s top tourism official, expressed dissatisfaction with what he described as “excuses” from the city’s Democratic leadership regarding missing barriers at the Canal Street entrance to Bourbon Street. He said, “I’ve held my tongue long enough. Her lack of leadership is an embarrassment.”
"I don't think anyone knew that — at least I didn't… — that these balusters were not in place. And to say they were under repair is not a good answer."
— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) January 2, 2025
— Billy Nungesser, Louisiana Lt. Governor, was angered by the lack of barriers on Bourbon St.@BillyNungesser @EmmaRechenberg pic.twitter.com/RIoHQZ2enS
Referring to claims that the bollards were under repair, Nungesser added, “That is not a good answer.”
During an interview with 4WWL, he expressed additional frustration: “I’m a little angry at the fact that some things in that French Quarter we’ve been trying to do for years have not gotten done.”
Mayor Cantrell’s office issued a statement in response, with Deputy Press Secretary Kourtney Williams saying, “The City of New Orleans will not be distracted by outside commentary and welcomes everyone to join the positive efforts of the unified command partners.”
Some critics viewed Nungesser’s comments as politicizing a tragedy. Political analyst Ed Chervenak remarked, “It’s way too early to be criticizing any leadership right now. We should be mourning the victims, speaking about the valor of the first responders, and trying to figure out what motivated this individual to attack innocent people. There will be plenty of opportunities to critique the mayor or police later. Politics should be put aside for now.”
ADMIN POST.
— Tommy Robinson 🇬🇧 (@TRobinsonNewEra) January 1, 2025
Listen to the absolute clowns of New Orleans trying to make excuses why the terrorist was able to drive straight up the street at pedestrians, a street that's had bollards for over a decade, but they didn't know how to work them.
The terrorist must've had prior… pic.twitter.com/U8XoDiBeAi
However, others supported the questioning of security measures, particularly during a high-profile event. Observers raised concerns about the timing of repairs to bollards and the broader implications of security lapses.
This event has sparked a debate about prioritizing basic security measures during large-scale events and reassessing the focus on counter-terrorism policies. Nungesser’s pointed question—“Where were the bollards, and who decided to leave Bourbon Street unprotected?”—underscores the public demand for accountability.
