I read a story earlier today about how some people did try to get across the bridge but were shot over and ordered to get off the bridge. So it looks like people were trying but for a variety of very bad reasons were turned away.
As we approached the bridge, armed Gretna sheriffs formed a line across the foot of the bridge. Before we were close enough to speak, they began firing their weapons over our heads. This sent the crowd fleeing in various directions. As the crowd scattered and dissipated, a few of us inched forward and managed to engage some of the sheriffs in conversation. We told them of our conversation with the police commander and of the commander’s assurances. The sheriffs informed us there were no buses waiting. The commander had lied to us to get us to move.We questioned why we couldn’t cross the bridge anyway, especially as there was little traffic on the 6-lane highway. They responded that the West Bank was not going to become New Orleans and there would be no Superdomes in their City. These were code words for if you are poor and black, you are not crossing the Mississippi River and you were not getting out of New Orleans.
This is crazy.
Posted by jherr at September 7, 2005 04:08 PMThere is (was) a Gretna ferry 10 or 20 blocks west of the bridge. Curious if it was operational, and whether the cops blocked that one too.
Posted by: William Mitchell at September 8, 2005 11:53 AMMy understanding is that the situation with that ferry is really bad. Lots of people died at the dock on the far end.
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