A New Orleans police officer is seen carrying DVDs at the Wal-Mart on Tchoupitoulas Tuesday. Many police officers said they felt helpless in enforcing the looters, which were found all over the city.
And in all manner of dress, it would appear–unless of course the DVDs in question have been taken into custody for their own protection, perhaps liberated from the clutches of one of the ubiquitous looters–obviously an action that would be a top priority in a martial law situation.
Photo via the Times-Picayune
Before we judge too harshly, consider the Lord of The Flies nature of the situation in the Big Easy.
The looting was widespread and unabashed. Families pushed shopping carts downtown, full of things they had taken from the Wal-Mart on Tchoupitoulas Street.
”They said, ‘Take what you need to survive,”’ shrugged one woman carrying a Dyson vacuum cleaner. A man accompanying her pushed a shopping cart with two sets of dishes still in the box, two jugs of laundry detergent, a baby’s playpen and several cases of soda.
Judge not! Just because you can survive without a playpen, soda and a brand spanking new Dyson vacuum doesn’t mean others can.
There was a riot on the streets
Tell me where were you?
You were sittin’ home watchin’ your TV
While I was participating in some anarchy
First spot we hit it was the liquor store
I finally got all that alcohol I can’t afford
With red lights flashin’, time to retire
And then we turned that liquor store into a structure fire
Next stop we hit, it was the music shop,
It only took one brick to make the window drop
Finally we got our own P.A.
Where do you think I got this guitar that you’re hearing today?
–Sublime, from April 29th, 1992
Update: News footage of N.O. police looting the Tchoupitoulas Wal-Mart can be downloaded here.
