The New Year’s Eve attack in New Orleans has raised questions about security gaps after it was revealed that protective bollards were removed from Bourbon Street weeks before the incident. The barriers were taken down to install a new system in preparation for the city hosting the Super Bowl in February.
The attack, carried out by Shamsud-Din Jabbar, killed at least 14 people when he drove a pickup truck into a crowd at the intersection of Bourbon and Canal Streets. Jabbar, a 42-year-old Houston native who had converted to Islam, was killed in a police shootout after the attack.
Nobody. https://t.co/viDiSnhZko
— Catturd ™ (@catturd2) January 2, 2025
New Orleans’ Finest
“we put up a barrier but would you believe the terrorist went around it ?” Same group “it’s not a terrorist attack although we found IEDs and isis flags” Same group “Go out and enjoy your day”. 3 hours later then find 3 unexploded devices and 1 exploded pic.twitter.com/3fNPsUFztM
— MontanaMan (@RyplCO) January 2, 2025
The New Orleans Police Superintendent said she didn’t know about the city’s sidewalk barrier defense against terror attacks. pic.twitter.com/BXWtDhYwxK
— SchultzX99 (@SchultzX99) January 3, 2025
The original bollard system, installed in 2017, was designed to block vehicles from entering crowded areas. However, persistent malfunctions, including clogging from Mardi Gras beads, led the city to remove and replace them. During the renovation, temporary measures such as police vehicles were used but failed to stop the attacker.
"New Orleans had access to effective anti-vehicle barriers ahead of the Bourbon Street attack on New Year’s Eve revelers that killed at least 14 people and wounded dozens more, but the city did not deploy those barriers until a day after the carnage.”
https://t.co/P7U4nx0zyZ— David Shellenberger (@DEShellenberger) January 3, 2025
A Chicago alderman is calling for new barrier requirements for all street fairs and festivals in the city, in the wake of the deadly New Year's Day truck attack in New Orleans and the attack at a German Christmas market earlier this month. https://t.co/FQqstLPKeg
— CBS Chicago (@cbschicago) January 2, 2025
Our church, in a small safe Republican town, installed cement barriers 10 years ago to prevent anyone from driving into parishioners going into the church. New Orleans can't keep people safe? @Democrat Must be voted out of office
— Nikias_Devrim (@NikiasDevrim) January 3, 2025
Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick acknowledged that the barriers were insufficient. “We did indeed have a plan, but the terrorist defeated it,” Kirkpatrick said. Witnesses expressed surprise at the absence of the bollards, noting the increased risk to pedestrians during the New Year’s celebrations.
🚨BREAKING NEWS: New Orleans Terror Attack Tragedy Inspires ABC, Guardian to Demand Sidewalk Barrier Equality
In a stunning display of investigative bravery, the ABC and The Guardian have bravely pivoted from covering the gruesome New Orleans truck attack to a pressing question:… pic.twitter.com/ZM3qS5o8Ql
— mdtlion (@mdtlion) January 2, 2025
Rep. Troy Carter (D-LA) suggested that additional security measures, such as an extra blocking vehicle, could have stopped the attack. “Terrorists study and find the weakest point,” Carter said. “We need to ensure no vulnerabilities exist.”
The timing of the renovation project has drawn criticism, as the absence of the barriers left one of the city’s busiest tourist areas exposed during a high-profile event.
