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Thanks to the great resident sifter, dotdude, who posted this blog in response to the New Orleans protest this morning (12/20/07), I've decided to upload a protester's eyewitness video of the account.
Please be sure to read dotdude's blog and give him support for bringing this to my attention. Plus, dotdude has news coverage listed within his blog, which will give you some perspective of the events.
Video details from Y/T: "Protest at the New Orleans City Hall
December 20, 2007
DISCLAIMER: If you do not approve of strong or offensive violence please do not watch the video.
The New Orleans City Council was meeting to vote on the HANO demolition requests Thursday afternoon. Outisde the building, protesters gathered at a metal gate, which they eventually breached.
In this video, local police pepper spray and taser those protesters."
Please be sure to read dotdude's blog and give him support for bringing this to my attention. Plus, dotdude has news coverage listed within his blog, which will give you some perspective of the events.
Video details from Y/T: "Protest at the New Orleans City Hall
December 20, 2007
DISCLAIMER: If you do not approve of strong or offensive violence please do not watch the video.
The New Orleans City Council was meeting to vote on the HANO demolition requests Thursday afternoon. Outisde the building, protesters gathered at a metal gate, which they eventually breached.
In this video, local police pepper spray and taser those protesters."
In contrast, the re-development of these units will benefit the former occupants of these housing projects. Creating units that offer modern amenities, less dense living conditions and a mix of inhabitants is preferable to the situation that existed in B.W. Cooper and the other housing projects in New Orleans. Prior to Katrina, housing projects were characterized by a high crime rate, gang activity, a thriving illegal drug trade, prostitution and filth.
To see how a redevelopment can be done correctly people should investigate the former St. Thomas housing projects, which are now the River Gardens neighborhood and a new Walmart store. It is a vast improvement over the situation that existed previously and should serve as a model for the redevelopment in many of these other projects.
Unfortunately, instead of moving forward and providing hope to residents, professional protesters and experienced agitators succeeded in shutting down the B.W. Cooper demolition last night. Now, this same group wants to thwart the demolition plans at three other housing developments.
In reality, none of the previous residents of these public housing developments have a “right” to return. Residents lived in these facilities courtesy of the taxpayers of the United States. They did not own these units. Instead the units are owned by the federal government and the people of this country.
All of these facts are disregarded by the professional protesters who came in to New Orleans from other states, carrying signs and yelling at work crews hired to do a job that had been approved several years ago. Yesterday, at the B.W. Cooper protest, license plates were spotted from Ohio, Kentucky and Massachusetts. Who are these individuals? What stake do they have in New Orleans? They have the luxury to come into town and protest and then leave and not have to face the crime and trash that characterize the housing projects.
After the storms Orleans was criticized for the way it 'kept' it's poor by outside special interest groups. When attempts at forward progress are made, these same special interest groups protest the moves. The city must tear down these dilapidated, crime & rodent ridden, barrack-style housing complexes in order to move forward as a city. Her people [all of her people] deserve better.
If I'm not mistaken, Cooper was approved for demolition before KatRita. I can't imagine the floodwaters improved conditions.
Spot was here.
Can anyone guess why people at a protest in New Orleans might have out of state license plates? Anybody? Think really hard now.