New Orleans reopens Bourbon Street ahead of Sugar Bowl, tightens security after tragedy strikes

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As New Orleans struggles to return to normalcy after a deadly terrorist attack on Bourbon Street that left more than a dozen people dead, city officials decided to reopen the iconic street ahead of the Sugar Bowl. The incident occurred at around 3:15 a.m. early on New Year's Day when driver Shamsud-Din Jabbar rammed a pickup truck into a crowd of people attending the celebrations. The FBI considered the attack an “act of terrorism” because Jabbar was allegedly supported by the Islamic State, even though he acted alone. As a result, the Sugar Bowl game scheduled for Wednesday night was postponed due to the severity of the situation. By Thursday, however, the city was back to its usual state of gatherings and socializing. Mayor LaToya Cantrell confirmed that Bourbon Street will welcome guests back at 2:30 p.m. Central Time, ahead of the game between Georgia and Notre Dame in the Superdome. Despite concerns from visitors and residents, Cantrell assured the public that the city is fully prepared to host games and future events. “The city of New Orleans is not only ready for today's game, but we are ready to continue hosting big games and big events in our city because we are designed to host events at every turn,” Cantrell said. of. “New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced that Bourbon Street will reopen in front of the Sugar Bowl, just one day after a terrorist attack killed 14 people on New Year's Day. Cantrell addressed attendees and New Orleans residents reassure that the city is taking safety precautions pic.twitter.com/kNOhu7a21s — WACH FOX (@wachfox) January 2, 2025 She continued, “What the FBI was able to clean up Bourbon Street also meant to me and the city was that we were able to remove the victims, identify them, and notify their families. True reverence. They are important. ” Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry agreed with Cantrell, adding, “The city will come back. We will enjoy it. We will remember those who have lost loved ones and we will continue to monitor the affairs of this city and this great country. Despite the show of resilience, some have criticized the decision to reopen Bourbon Street so quickly. Social media users expressed their displeasure, calling the move “starved of money” and a “disgrace” to the victims and their families. “They keep saying Bourbon Street will reopen to the community and visitors today, but why would anyone want to party on the street where a terrorist attack just took place that killed 14 people?” ! ! ! ” wrote one X (formerly Twitter) user. Another added: “This is very, very disrespectful to the family of the deceased. Minutes before, their blood was flushed away to make room for game day. These city officials should be ashamed! People are now walking around in bourbon like nothing happened. Um. “In honor of the victims of this tragic incident, a moment of silence will be observed before the national anthem at the Sugar Bowl. Like this: Like Loading… Discover more from Baller Alert Subscribe to get the latest posts delivered to your email .

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